I call on the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House for a debate on rural crime. I wish, in particular, to discuss why many of the recent criminals robbing and plundering rural Ireland have not been disqualified from driving. Section 27(1)(a) of the 1961 Road Traffic Act provides that where a criminal has used a mechanically propelled vehicle in the commission of a crime or an offence, he or she can be disqualified from driving. This has not happened to any of the ringleaders imprisoned recently who were responsible for a spate of burglaries, robberies and assaults. It is not good enough to do nothing about this. We should try to curtail the freedom of movement of the criminals involved in more ways than one. The law is being under-utilised by legal officers. I feel strongly that the Director of Public Prosecutions should throw the book at these thugs and bring forward charges of disqualification against every criminal using a car in the commission of crimes. If we are serious about combating rural crime, it is imperative that we use the legal infrastructure already in existence to punish those who rob and plunder rural communities. We should also consider amending the legislation in order that we can include a further provision that any criminal who is a passenger in a car and intent on being an accessory to a crime could also be disqualified from driving. Unless we introduce hardline deterrents for all criminal gangs, we will lose the battle in tackling crime in rural Ireland. Fear is pervasive in every town in my constituency - I am sure it is the same across the country - from Athenry to Dunmore, Loughrea and Gort. The Garda is working hard, but our laws need to be more hardline. We need to deter criminals and cut them off from their market, which is rural Ireland. At the same time we must offer solace to those who are living in their homes in fear. As rural dwellers, we deserve nothing more but certainly nothing less than this. I ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to come into the House in order that we can have a proper discussion on why section 27(1)(a) of the 1961 Road Traffic Act is not being utilised more often in the courts.