117. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice the progress regarding the term of review on the use of concurrent and consecutive sentencing guidelines for judges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12368/25]

Sentiment score: 0.23

My question is about the progress being made on the review of concurrent and consecutive sentencing. I have discussed the need for movement on this with the Minister outside the Dáil Chamber previously. It is not about locking people up and throwing away the key, but we need some common sense in the sentencing guidelines.

Sentiment score: 0.02

I thank the Minister for his reply. He outlined that there is provision in law for consecutive sentencing and that he is of the opinion that should happen for serious offences. However, in the recent case of Joe Drennan - a young man from near Mountrath in County Laois, where I come from, who was mowed down at a bus stop coming home from work - the driver of the car had 46 previous convictions. He fled the scene. He received a concurrent sentence, which means that he will not serve one additional hour in prison for the killing of the young man. That is shocking. Young Joe Drennan lost his life. His family lost him. There has been a strong campaign in the county to have this reversed. I welcome that the DPP is now appealing the decision. However, while the Minister says the provision is there in law, it is not being taken on board in some of the courts. In a case like this where a person is up on serious charges, including shooting up a house, it is clear there should be concurrent sentencing and there needs to be clear guidelines on it.

Sentiment score: -0.06

I thank the Minister for his reply. When we discussed this previously, he indicated that a review was under way or getting under way. While I accept that it is there in law and welcome the clarification regarding the 1984 Act, the Minister, who was until recently a practising barrister, will know from the courts that it is clear there is a consistency problem. He used the word himself and that is what we need to address here. Of course the courts need flexibility and need to be separate from the Oireachtas, but the Department has a responsibility to monitor what is happening at some level in the courts and where there is a complete breakdown in consistency and sentences that are off the Richter scale, such as in the Joe Drennan case, it shows we have a problem and judges need to be clear the sentencing needs to match the crime. That is what I am asking for.

Sentiment score: 0.06