Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 73:

In page 18, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following:

"(2) Subject to subsection (3), where a person (other than a person under the age of 18 years)—

(a) has been convicted on indictment of an offence specified in Schedule 2 (in this section referred to as "the first offence"),

(b) has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than 12 months in respect of that offence, and

(c) who commits an offence specified in Schedule 2 (in this section referred to as "the subsequent offence")—

(i) while serving the sentence of imprisonment, or

(ii) during time remitted from that sentence of imprisonment,

the court shall, in imposing sentence on the person in respect of the subsequent offence, specify as the minimum term of imprisonment to be served by the person, a term of not less than three quarters of the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed by law in respect of such an offence and, if the maximum term so prescribed is life imprisonment, the court shall specify a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years.".

This amendment improves the section. The Minister has had the opportunity to study it.

See this speech in context