Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Yes. It also means that if a person is caught by the Garda in possession of firearms with the intent to endanger life and he has in the past, say in 1997, notched up a relevant offence, he is on notice that he will receive the mandatory minimum sentence without any deductions if he commits that offence.

I am grateful to Deputy Jim O'Keeffe for opening this line of territory and to the Office of the Attorney General for clarifying its opinion on this matter. If a person is convicted of possession of a firearm with the intent to endanger life and it is his first such conviction but he has been previously convicted of possession of firearms while hijacking a car, the mandatory minimum sentence for possession with intent to endanger life will automatically apply and the court will have no discretion on it.

See this speech in context