Crime threat looms as economy dips

As we closed for press late on Tuesday afternoon, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan was on his feet in the Dail delivering what everyone expects to be a very difficult budget. Mr Lenihan believes the package of measures he is outlining will stabilise the economy and inject confidence, particularly into the battered financial system. He also believes it will lay the groundwork for economic recovery. For the sake of the country and its workforce, let us hope he is right. As predicted, there are to be widespread cuts throughout virtually every Government department with spending reductions of at least €2 billion as the minister attempts to bridge a widening deficit as a result of a sharp fall in the exchequer"s tax take over the past year. The axing or postponement of a number of major infrastructural projects also look they may be on the cards, but the extent of these may only become clear in the days ahead or when the Finance Bill is finally published. At this point in time, with the results/analysis of the 2009 budget being digested in every media, the average Irish person must be well and truly sick to his or her teeth with the words 'banks", 'economy", 'credit crunch" and 'crash". Lost in the maelstrom of panic which has gripped the country and the world in recent weeks are other potential implications of a broken economy in these so-called interesting times: the threat of a major rise in organised crime and ethnic tensions. As the Government puts all its energy into tackling the recession, it is worth noting that a recent survey carried out by Millward Brown IMS has this week revealed that seven out of 10 people believe the Gardai needs improved resources in enforcing drug laws, organised crime, investigations, sexual violence cases, boy racers and emergency services. Add to this the current economical crisis, and two scourges in societal breakdown - potential rising criminal activities and racial tensions. Justice Minister Dermot Ahern must act now in light of the failing economy and be one step ahead of the criminal underworld in preventing their efforts of capitalising on a country struggling for economic survival. There"s no use exercising the full force of the law with a Garda teams speed-checking motorists on motorways while serious criminal activity is on the rise. Already, stores in urban areas have said they are noting a considerable upsurge in shoplifting and thefts as the numbers of unemployed creep inexorably upwards. Mr Ahern must anticipate a surge in crime and act speedily to do all in his power to avert such an occurrence when the country is at its most vulnerable. Our history of ministers for justice failures and a lacklustre attitude to crime prevention is one that is difficult to defend. Add to this the sheer lack of debate on immigration control and the potential for ethnic friction in fighting for employment and access to local services, and one can then see the significance of the need for a tough Minister for Justice taking on the challenge where so many previous ministers have failed in the past. With the economy in crisis, racial tensions are likely to become a significant issue in the coming years. In several towns in the Greater Dublin Area, the immigrant population has exploded in the past few years and local health services and schools are at breaking point. The old Chinese saying 'may you live in interesting times" is meant as a curse. The Government"s handling of the multiple economic crises of 2008 needs to result in a return to living in more normal times, with lower tax and interest rates and void of overpaid, greedy, bungling bank bosses who have brought the global economic system to its knees.