The Gazette 1991

GAZETT INCORPORATE D LAWSOCIET Y OF IRELAND Vol.85 No.6 July/Augus t 1991

GAZETTE

JULY/AUGUST 1991

In this Issue

Viewpoint 215 Multi discipline practices 217 DCR personal injury judgments series 226 Practice Notes 229 Land Registry/Registry of Deeds 231 People & Places 234 Vital Issues of Trade Union Law 239 Lawbrief 245 Association of Pension Lawyers 248 Book Reviews 250 Professional Information 253

Viewpoint Now that the problem of crime and lawlessness has ceased to be a political football in the local elect- ions, the issue deserves some serious consideration. Media re- ports of suburban estates around Dublin and an estate in Limerick being at the mercy of lawless gangs, coupled with the alleged revival of drug dealing in urban areas and the continual presence of mugging and thefts from motorists has only highlighted a growing problem. It is probably true that the break- up of inner city communities and their transposition to suburban estates inhabited largely by young married couples with children, has created unbalanced communities. High levels of unemployment in these communities cannot but make the situation worse. Lack of parental control is alleged to be widespread. None of these problems is capable of swift or simple solution although, as has recently been proposed the imposition of liability on parents may be a starting point. How successful it can be in an era where family discipline is regarded as an outmoded concept is another question. Our capital city after dark pres- ents an unhappy sight. Metal grilles protect almost all our shop fronts presenting an image as unattractive as many North American cities which we would consider hot beds of violence. Security guards man the doors of many city centre busi- ness premises whose proprietors complain of high levels of shop lifting.

Calls for the provision of more prison spaces are surely directed at the wrong end of the problem. While there appears indeed to be a scarcity of places in secure accommodation for young offend- ers, the provision of additional prison accommodation for adult offenders is no more a solution to the problem of crime than the pro- vision of additional graveyards would be a solution to a problem of disease. Those seeking restrictions on bail seem to happily ignore the fact that our prisons cannot even hold con- victed persons for the full length of their sentences. Problems of petty theft of goods will never be solved until not only can professional receivers be identified and successfully pro- secuted w i t h ease but until "ordinary law abiding citizens" stop buying videos, televisions and other stolen goods in pubs or from illicit sources. There must be a greater emphasis on crime pre- vention too. Are we sure that our police patrolling methods, confined as they seem to be to either foot patrols or squad cars, are really an efficient method of policing our cities? If the thieves are on mo t o r cyc l es why are Gardai motorcyclists confined to traffic duties. It is time we took our cities back and ensured that thieves are not free to roam our city streets cocking a snook at the forces of law and order and the ordinary citizens. •

Executive Editor: Mary Gaynor Committee: Eamonn G. Hall, Chairman Michael V. O'Mahony, Vice-Chairman

John F. Buckley Patrick McMahon

Advertising: Seán Ó hOisín. Telephone: 305236 Fax: 3 0 7 8 60 Printing: Turner's Printing Co. Ltd., Longford. The views expressed in this publication, save where otherwise indicated, are the views of the contributors and not necessarily the views of the Council of the Society. The appearance of an advertisement in this publication does not necessarily indicate approval by the Society for the product or service advertised. Published at Blackhall Place, Dublin 7 Tel.: 710711. Telex: 31219. Fax: 710704

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