Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. He referred to a person who is found in possession of drugs worth €13,000 or more and the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years. From reports I have heard and from what I have read, there always seems to be mitigating circumstances. How often are those sentences actually handed down? In many instances we hear that a given person in a community, who is known to possess and sell drugs, has been before the courts again and is out again and not in prison. I understand that we cannot questions decisions made in courts but there is concern among communities that sentences are not severe enough. The Minister mentioned the severity of sentences in his response. The widespread narrative is that in many instances the penalties do not meet the crime being committed, the pain and suffering inflicted, and the innocent lives destroyed by these peddlers of drugs.

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