`Criminal Bastards' should get Life Sentences says Cullen

Drug pushers described as `criminal bastards' should be given life sentences for their crimes with a condition that they serve at least forty years according to Councillor Tommy Cullen.

Councillor Tommy Cullen: `Criminal Bastards'

His outspoken comments came at yesterday's meeting of Wicklow County Council during a discussion on the proposed establishment of a Regional Drugs Task Force.

`A murderer is given a mandatory life sentence after killing one person but it is even worse with a drug pusher who can destroy up to forty or fifty people. They are criminal bastards and the law is not tough enough on them', he added.

Council official, Seamus Walker said that the proposed regional task force wil liaise with local task forces involved in drugs awareness and there will be 29 members on the board.

Councillor Pat Vance said that the drugs problem in Bray has abated to a large degree although the issue s coming up again. `To overcome the problem there needs to be constant vigilence and support from public representatives. Treatment of addicts must get priority but unfortunately some public representatives have run from the ideal of methadone clinics', he added.

Deputy Liz McManus hoped that the new task force would not become `meetings about meetings' . `Drugs are a problem in every town and village as well as the criminal activity that goes with them', she added.

Deputy Mcmanus felt that the Council, as `landlords' should ensure that there is no unsavoury activity of a drugs nature taking place on estates to the annoyance of decent people who just want to get on with their lives.

Councillor Deirdre de Burca said that a task force cannot come up with magic solutions. `Unless we provide recreational and cultural facilities for young people, the work of the task force will be much harder', she added.