Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

If there are people who are in fear of intimidation, and I understand from the Garda, the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, and others that there is intimidation of witnesses and jurors, particularly in the context of recent events, and even though we recently changed the legislation relating to the issue of intimidation of witnesses, I am prepared to increase the penalties to more than ten years. That is an important signal. I hope to bring those measures before the Government for approval within weeks.

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