Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has carried out studies on the merits and demerits of introducing a "three strikes and you are out" policy for serious offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32961/07]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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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.