President Mary McAleese: “It’s time to stop consumers creating criminal entrepreneurs”
Friday 26 October 2007

Christine Carroll, Mella Carroll's niece, President Mary McAleese, Deputy President of DCU Anne Scott, DCU President, Ferdinand von Prondzynski, and Helen Shaw, President of the IWF

President McAleese has said criminal entrepreneurs have to be stopped in their tracks and it is up to the consumer to help make this happen.

Speaking exclusively to DCU Public Affairs, President McAleese said the only way this can happen is for the public to refuse to pay for illicit goods.

“Criminal entrepreneurs are selling sex and drugs. What keeps them in business is exactly the same thing that keeps McDonalds in business– buyers, purchasers, customers and consumers. Every single person who buys illicitly or is involved in the buying and using of heroin, cocaine and cannabis, is contributing to criminal entrepreneurship. That activity outcrops in gang warfare, it outcrops in stabbings, contract killings and shootings on our streets. It is a direct line of connection and what we now have to make is a direct line of responsibility so that we stop the consumers creating the criminal entrepreneurs”.

She also said the criminals have no code of values, no respect for life and no sense of patriotism.

President McAleese’s comments on criminal entrepreneurs made headline news on RTE, Today FM, Newstalk 106fm and 98FM.

President McAleese was addressing the Mella Carroll Commemorative Lecture entitled 'Women and Justice': A Balancing Act, hosted at DCU on Wednesday 25th October.

Miss Justice Mella Carroll died in 2006 after a long illness. In 2001 Mella Carroll took up her appointment as Chancellor to DCU. In 1980 she had been the first female judge to be appointed to the High Court. She also chaired the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Nursing.

The President of DCU, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski welcomed President Mary McAleese, Ms Justice Mary Laffoy and Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney to the commemorative lecture honouring the late Honorary Miss Justice Mella Carroll.