TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said if people want dangerous criminals locked up for a long time, then Ireland is going to need more prison spaces.
Speaking at the Fine Gael special conference in Maynooth today, Varadkar also confirmed that he has asked Justice Minister Helen McEntee to look at measures of giving judges more power to impose a minimum prison sentence, in some circumstances.
In sentencing Jozef Puska for the murder of 23-year-old Ashling Murphy this week, Justice Tony Hunt noted that he does not have the authority to impose a minimum period to serve, and if he did, he would have considered a whole life term sentence in this case.
Inside the courtroom, Justice Hunt took the opportunity to share his thoughts on something that “struck a chord” with him.
Justice Hunt told the Central Criminal Court in Dublin that it is “long past time that judges should have some say in setting what the minimum terms should be” in life sentences.
He added that current sentencing restrictions mean a life sentence is a “one size fits all” but noted that “they (cases) are not all the same”.
When asked about such measures today, Varadkar said he has asked the minister to examine it, stating that McEntee has already increased the maximum sentences that can be imposed on people for serious assault or assault on an emergency worker during their work.
“So it’s an area that I’ve asked her to give consideration to. That wouldn’t mean a minimum sentence in all circumstances, but would give a judge the power to impose a minimum sentence if the judge felt it appropriate,” he said.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee says her department has done a body of work on the issue of sentencing and will bring forward the legislation next year. pic.twitter.com/44xOgzmwk2
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) November 18, 2023
Speaking to reporters at the conference today, McEntee said that her department has done a body of work on the issue of sentencing, stating that she plans to bring legislation forward next year.
She added that there are particular “heinous crimes” which might mean that a judge could recommend that a person should come before the parole board for 20, 30 or 40 years, if deemed appropriate.
He went on to state that there is a “connected piece to this and I know people don’t like to talk about it”.
“We do need to have adequate prisons spaces, not because I want to see a higher incarceration rate, I don’t. But if we’re genuinely serious about locking up very dangerous people, murderers, rapists, paedophiles, the heads of major criminal gangs for 20, 30, 40 years and I think that’s what people want, with a rising population, we’re going to need more prison spaces,” he said.
Varadkar said the justice minister, while working on giving judges more power, is also working on providing an extra 600 prison spaces over the next couple of years.
“I know it’s not popular to talk about it. I’m sure I’ll be denounced by the righteous ones and various others for even suggesting this, but if people want dangerous people locked up for a long time, we’re going to need more room in our prisons,” he said.
According to the Irish Penal Reform Trust, there are 4,612 people in prison custody in Ireland, as of September 2023.
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