Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy O'Callaghan made a good point. While it is possible that a person could be summarily convicted, the amendments relate to a conviction on indictment. This is a serious offence and while a sentence of five years may be appropriate in some cases, if the maximum sentence is set at five years, judges may consider imposing a sentence of two or three years calculated on the basis of the range of potential sentences. I will not move my amendment, which proposes a maximum sentence of eight years, on the basis that I am in favour of Deputy O'Callaghan's reasonable proposal to increase the maximum sentence to ten years.