John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

It is a mandatory sentence, as we all know. The origins of the sentence review go back to the time of the death penalty in this jurisdiction and in the United Kingdom. Applications for reprieve were on the Home Secretary's desk and he moved little black balls around as people got closer to being executed. The review process is based on the discretion that the Home Secretary had to reprieve a death sentence. The life sentence has risen from seven to 15 years and is under constant review to determine the most appropriate tariff.

Senator Maurice Hayes raised the matter of the European convention but I am not sure of the answer to his question. Senator Jim Walsh is correct in his assessment of tribunals. They have an obligation, under the instruments by which they were set up, to report back to the Oireachtas at certain points. However, they seem to go on for a very long time and commissions of inquiry or investigation are preferable for dealing with some, though not all, controversial matters.

Senator Bannon wants a debate on the good management of the public finances——