Vol. 486 No. 6
47 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will bring forward proposals on sentencing policy on the basis of the recent Law Reform Commission report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3191/98]
Action has already been taken on a number of the recommendations contained in the Law Reform Commission report on sentencing. For example, sentences of penal servitude and imprisonment with hard labour have already been abolished and replaced with sentences of imprisonment as recommended by the commission. Other recommendations remain under consideration in my Department and any proposals which emerge will be announced in the usual way. I should point out, however, that the report specifically recommends against the introduction of statutory sentencing guidelines. It is also the case that the report pointed up a number of differences of opinion among the members of the commission in relation to some of the recommendations in that report, which tends to underline the obvious complexities which arise in relation to sentencing policy.
