Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

My Department has not carried out any studies on the merits of imposing a mandatory life sentence on prisoners who are convicted of committing more than three serious offences. I am aware that such a policy has been introduced in certain jurisdictions in the United States and has resulted in a significant increase in the prison population.

I have no plans to initiate such a study. It is open to question as to whether such a policy would be compatible with the Constitution and, in particular, whether it would satisfy the test of proportionality.

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