Sinn Fein accused of hijacking drugs helpline
Political rivals claim party has pulled a stroke and is trying to take the credit for a State-run confidential phone line on drug-dealing, writes Jim Cusack
Sunday May 31 2009
Sinn Fein has been accused of pulling a stroke over a Government-sponsored confidential telephone line that the public can contact if they have information about drug dealing.
Leaflets promoting the "Dial to Stop Drug Dealing" freecall line, which is not linked to the gardai, have been distributed in the Leinster area in the run-up to the local and European elections saying the scheme is "approved by Sinn Fein", causing concern among other political parties.
The line was set up last year by the Department of Justice in coordination with other departments and with the approval of the gardai as a way to try and encourage people who might be afraid of directly contacting the gardai to pass on infor- mation.
Money from "dormant" government accounts is being used to pay for the calls to a centre in England, which then relays the information back to the gardai.
Serena Campbell, a Fine Gael candidate in the Slane electoral area for Meath County Council who came across the Sinn Fein leaflets last week, was critical of Sinn Fein, saying the literature and stickers being put up on other political parties' posters gave the impression that it was a Sinn Fein initiative.
Ms Campbell said that members of the public had expressed concern that it was Sinn Fein that was operating the scheme and that some had found this "quite scary".
"There is already the Garda Crimecall confidential line and the divisional confidential garda phone line in Meath. The reference to a 'non-garda' confidential line really shocked me. Why would Sinn Fein need a number that people can ring to give them information like this?
"I personally would be very suspicious of the motives behind this.
"I found out that the call-line was a State-run operation, but the Sinn Fein leaflets that people have shown me at doors gives the impression that they are running this. It's nothing more than a stroke and could put people off calling with information about drug dealing," she added.
