Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

While I do not agree with the Fine Gael Bill, there are times when a particular type of approach is needed from the Judiciary, or when it should be given the discretion to take more than previous weapons offences into account. That is the effect of most of my amendments in this grouping. Some of the other amendments propose the deletion of entire sections of the Bill, as I have said.

It is obvious that the Minister is determined to go down this road. Not only did he initially include certain provisions in the Bill, but he has now gone further by proposing these amendments this evening. It is regrettable that he has adopted such an approach. It has been shown in other jurisdictions that mandatory sentencing does not work. Some of the states in the US have repealed their legislation providing for mandatory sentencing in cases of drugs offences because that legislation did not have the desired effect. It did not bring an end to such offences. I do not believe that the provisions in this Bill will act as a deterrent to the lunatics in our society who are using weapons, especially young people who are coked up to the head. The Garda needs to take much tougher action and concentrate on these gangs to a much greater extent if it is to ensure their weapons are taken from them, they do not continue to put the lives of civilians in danger, they do not threaten young people to get them to become involved in gangs and they do not use weapons to ply their poisonous trade. I am not trying to be soft on gun crime — far from it — I am saying we have to get tough, but there are ways of getting tough without interfering with the discretion of the Judiciary.

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