The Fianna Fáil candidate in the South Tipperary by-election today stood by his comments that chemical castration must be considered as a punishment for serial rapists.
Mr Michael Maguire told ireland.comhe felt the penalty should fit the crime.
"We have to meet fire with fire; we are too soft on this type of criminal who inflicts terrible physical and mental harm," he said.
Mr Maguire said "offenders should repay more of a debt to society" and called for longer prison sentences and community service orders.
Although accepting the Government had made a big impact in reducing crime, he believed there should be stronger deterrents.
A Fianna Fáil spokesman said Mr Maguire was "a man of strong opinions" but that the use of castration to deter serial rapists was not Government or party policy.
Mr Maguire accepted today his personal views were not Government policy. He said he had always been forthright on the issue of crime and that there was "nothing new in this".
He has previously advocated corporal punishment - in the form of whipping - for people convicted of attacking the elderly.
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