Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

That is true. I absolutely agree that the savage attack on Mr. Niland that the Deputy mentioned requires us all to see what we can do. If constitutional rights are to mean anything, people have to be protected in their homes. I do not believe mandatory sentencing is the best response to that. The independence of our judicial system I mentioned earlier requires giving judges and our judicial system the powers to assess each case and impose the appropriate penal sanctions. We do need policing, however, and the Government is increasing investment in our policing system. I absolutely agree with the Deputy that if people are feeling vulnerable in a rural or isolated area, where they might not have neighbours close at hand, we need to focus on those areas.

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