'We haven’t enough gardaí on the streets': Justice issues will be key to Mick Finn’s election campaign

A call for 75 additional gardaí for Cork city and county, a full review of free legal aid, and improvements in pay and conditions for gardaí, are among the justice issues Independent candidate for Cork South Central Mick Finn intends to raise during the upcoming general election campaign.

The former councillor and Lord Mayor said he believes more garda resources should be allocated to Cork to reduce crime rates in the city and larger towns.

“We haven’t enough gardaí on the streets of our city and larger towns and we all know that garda presence and vigilance on the beat is the best deterrent to ongoing crimes being committed in public view,” Mr Finn said.

“There is also a need to reform the Free Legal Aid scheme.

“My suggestion is that criminality yields revenue, for example the sale of drugs, so should be excluded from the scheme, as should situations where defendants are found guilty multiple times.

“We should also move to a system where compensation is paid from the wages or state payments of those who riot or cause criminal damage to state property, such as garda cars, trams and buses. Those currently appearing in court on such charges are laughing at those paying taxes to fund the legal aid.

“That needs to stop… we need to tilt the balance in favour of law-abiding members of our communities.”

Mr Finn said he believes that there is “sufficient tax revenues being collected to address these areas”, but suggested that changes to pay and conditions of those entering the gardaí and the defence forces are required to attract young people in.

“At the moment, who’d be a garda or a soldier or join the navy?

“Years of inaction and tolerance of the status quo by Government have brought us to this point. Make those jobs attractive — add in guaranteed housing incentives or benefits, and people will go for them.”

The former Lord Mayor announced he will run for a Dáil seat in Cork South Central in the next general election last month.

He previously served 15 years on Cork City Council but opted not to contest a seat in the recent local elections.

He was successful in his three local election campaigns, topping the poll in 2014 and 2019, when he garnered the highest percentage vote across the city.

Mr Finn, 52, will hope that it’s third time lucky in securing a seat in the Dáil, having ran for the general election on two previous occasions.