30th September 2004
234. Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Question No. 35 of 5 May 2004, the international evidence to which he or his Department officials have had their attention drawn and which shows that mandatory sentencing has effectively reduced gun crime or organised crime including drug dealing in other jurisdictions. [23162/04]
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): As I said in my reply of 5 May 2004 to the Deputy, I have asked for an examination of the range of penalties that should be applicable to firearms offences. I am sure that the Deputy and the House will agree that there needs to be stringent penalties for firearms related offences and I do not, at this stage, rule out the possibility that, where appropriate, mandatory penalties should be available to the courts for such offences.
In the course of the development of any such proposals, my Department will examine research and reports on similar measures in other jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States of America to inform its decisions.\
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.