Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It will enable those in possession of firearms who are not in compliance with the legal requirements to regularise their position. This will enable the Garda to concentrate on the most serious offences.

I briefly answered a question yesterday and I will refer to that point. Until recent years, some people sentenced to murder, which carries a mandatory sentence by our courts under strict legislation governed by this House which does not need to be improved, were only being imprisoned for seven years. This was at a time when there were not enough prison places, and society believed in being more lenient. The sentence is now 13 years. All murderers who committed their actions recently are serving at least 13 years. The parole board makes a recommendation and the Minister either accepts this or rejects it. He accepts most of them. The tariff has gone up, in the last decade, from seven to 13 years.

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