andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Justice whether in view of the accumulated evidence about the futility of hanging as a deterrent in cases of murder he will consider introducing legislation to amend the law in the matter to abolish hanging in any circumstances in the State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Abolition of Capital Punishment.
194.
No alteration of the law in relation to capital punishment is at present under consideration.
Will the Minister say, in view of the accumulated evidence I refer to in my Question, whether he is prepared to bring the matter to the Government for consideration?
I am not satisfied there is an accumulation of evidence one way or the other.
If the Minister is satisfied, presumably he is satisfied as a result of investigations which he has carried out. Has he carried out such investigations in order to satisfy himself?
I have already indicated there is no proposal at the moment to change the law in this regard and I have also indicated that I do not think there has been any accumulation of evidence one way or another in the matter.
I suppose we will wait until the British get around to doing it, like everything else.
Does it not look as if it will be a good while before we catch another murderer? There are about a dozen of them at large now. They have probably formed a club or something.
The Deputy is not very complimentary to the Guards. He is running them down badly now.