A Fine Gael government would introduce a mandatory sentence of 25 years for gangland murder, party justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan told delegates, writes MICHAEL O'REGAN
“A few years behind bars having the good life with a flatscreen TV, a mobile phone, a ready supply of drugs and, in some cases, even a pet budgie, is not a sufficient deterrent,” he said.
“For criminal gangsters, life is cheap and the State is not disproving that theory by failing to attach sufficient sanctions to cold-blooded gangland murders.” He said it was 11 months since he had spoken at a party ardfheis on crime.
“At the top of last year’s agenda was gangland crime. This remains the single biggest festering wound on the body of the State this year.”