John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the broader issue of criminal justice, in that debate we should examine an issue I raised in the House recently, namely, the availability of free legal aid to criminals. I called for a "three strikes and you are out" system here last year and I reiterate that. It is outrageous. There is no such thing as free legal aid. The bottom line is that we are paying for it. Serial criminals should not be allowed to come back to the courts time and again having committed crime and avail of free legal aid.

We should examine also the cost of incarceration of prisoners and make them pay for that. When they are released we should bill them for their time in jail either by way of deductions from wages or from social welfare payments but the taxpayer should no longer foot the bill in that case.