Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

If we were not to proceed with section 24 I might be attracted to widening the Second Schedule to cover rape offences, which have nothing to do with gangland offences, so that it would comprehend them as well. Crimes are sometimes committed such as shooting at a neighbour or members of a family over a land dispute or rapes where the victims are in terror for a long time and even when the offender is released, they are still in fear of him or her.

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