Remarks by President McAleese to the Boards of Northern Ireland Crimestoppers
Remarks by President McAleese to the Boards of Northern Ireland Crimestoppers and the Irish Crimestoppers Trust
It gives me particular pleasure to welcome the Boards of Northern Ireland Crimestoppers and the Irish Crimestoppers Trust to Áras an Uachtaráin.
Today we live in a society which offers greater benefits than ever before to its citizens. One of the unfortunate effects of that growing prosperity, has been a parallel and growing disparity in wealth and opportunity between the “haves” and “have nots” within our society. Now we have greater opportunities for crime, in conjunction with a weakening of the ties of community and family which acted as deterrents in the past. The scourge of drug-abuse and the single-minded desperation of addicts to feed their habit, have undoubtedly contributed to the growth in crime. However, so too, has the growth in individualism, selfishness and lack of respect for others in society as a whole.
While crime levels may not approach those of many other countries, it is important to remember that crime carries a cost for all members of society. Crime, and the fear of crime, restricts our freedom and enjoyment of life. The horrific attacks on elderly people in recent years, for example, have meant that many older people feel obliged to severely curtail their lifestyles and restrict their contact with the outside world. The personal and human cost to the victims of crime cannot be underestimated. Although in material terms, people are better off than before, the loss of civility, trust and hospitality engendered by crime has made all our lives the poorer. That impoverishment of spirit is tragic for it roots itself deeply in the person and destroys peace of mind.
Since crime is a problem that affects every individual in our society, the only effective means of fighting it is for everyone to play his or her part. That simple basic fact cannot be overstated. That is why Crimestoppers is such a significant initiative. It is a partnership between the State, the private sector and the public. This concept, which originated in the United States in the 1970’s, has proven its worth in a number of countries. The confidential freephone service funded by Crimestoppers, has enabled the public to provide invaluable information to the authorities on a wide range of crimes. I know, for example, that while the Dublin service has been in operation for little over a year, the service is averaging over 1,000 calls per month from all over the country.
Crime is a phenomenon that knows no boundaries. It affects all parts of this island, North and South. A joint response to this problem is therefore required. I was particularly pleased to note that the first joint public appearance by the Garda Commissioner and the RUC Chief Constable took place at the First Annual Conference of the Irish Crimestoppers Trust last October, where both police chiefs praised the excellent level of cooperation that exists between the Gardaí and the RUC. This co-operation is re-inforced by the meeting today of the Boards of both groups.
While the exact cost of crime cannot be measured, it is clear that, quite apart from the human misery it causes; it also has a detrimental effect on both our economies. This derives not only from the damage inflicted on people and property, but also by virtue of the resources that have to be devoted to tackling or alleviating the effects of crime. Economic growth and increased employment are needed to underpin the peace that we all want so much for Ireland, but these goals are threatened by the costs of crime to businesses North and South.
It comes as no surprise then, that the business community has responded so effectively to this threat by sponsoring Crimestoppers. I want to pay particular tribute to the work of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce in the whole area of crime prevention. The Chamber has played the leading role, in co-operation with the Gardai, in establishing the Crimestoppers initiative. I understand that it also made a typically worthwhile contribution to the recent National Crime forum on this issue.
Before concluding, I want to place on record my appreciation for the work carried out by John Hynes, Chairman of Irish Crimestoppers, and Ciaran Conlon, its Director. I know that an equal amount of hard work has been undertaken by Dr Billy Hastings and all of his colleagues in the Northern Ireland Crimestoppers. The success of the initiative is in no small way due to their hard work.
I trust that Crimestoppers, both North and South, will benefit from the information and insights you have exchanged this morning, and that both organisations will go from strength to strength.
Thank you.