Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the recent Law Reform Commission Report on Mandatory Sentencing; his plans to amend the policy of mandatory sentencing for certain offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6524/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I should say at the outset that the recent Law Reform Commission document referred to by the Deputy is a consultation paper on mandatory sentences which invites submissions from interested parties and is not a final report. The Law Reform Commission was asked by the previous Attorney General to look at the general question of mandatory sentencing. This was done at the instigation of the then Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform. The consultation paper recently published is a first step in that process. Among the issues raised are:

- sentencing guidelines;

- the possibility of a court when imposing the mandatory life sentence for murder, recommending a minimum term of imprisonment;

- not extending the presumptive minimum mandatory sentences regime that currently applies to drugs and certain other offences pending a review to determine its effectiveness in reducing criminality.

I look forward to receiving the Commission's final recommendations in due course and those recommendations will be given full consideration. However, I do not want to pre-empt the work of the Commission in finalising its recommendations by making any detailed comment in advance of receiving concrete proposals.