MEMBERS OF the Joint Policing Committee in Limerick city have backed a Limerick city councillor's call for the criminal legal aid system to be withdrawn from "hardened criminals".
Cllr Jim Long (FG) wrote to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, who visited Limerick last Friday to be briefed on policing matters and the continuing investigation into the murder of Shane Geoghegan.
Mr Long claims criminals in the city, many of whom have amassed their wealth through the drugs trade, should not be availing of legal aid.
The chairman of the Joint Policing Committee, Cllr Kevin Kiely, said he supports withdrawing legal aid from offenders who appear before the courts on more than three occasions.
"You have career criminals appearing before Limerick District Court on 70 to 80 occasions over a five-year period. People should be allowed aid on two to three occasions, and after that they should either represent themselves or pay for . . . representation. In most European countries . . . you only get one strike and then you represent yourself," said Mr Kiely. He also urged the abolition of concurrent sentences.