Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I rise today to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of sentencing and the need for sentencing reform on foot of the sentence handed down in recent days in the case of the tragic death of Joe Drennan in Limerick city. He was a very promising journalism student and had a bright future in front of him. He was killed because of a deliberate decision to drive dangerously, a decision made by somebody who was out on bail at the time. There must be accountability in relation to this because the person who killed Joe Drennan has received a concurrent sentence for this crime and will not spend one additional hour in prison. I ask the Taoiseach to urgently review sentencing guidelines, particularly with regard to the issue of concurrent and suspended sentences for violent offences, something for which the Labour Party has called.

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