Fine Gael this morning announced its plans for mandatory minimum sentencing for convicted ‘joyriders’ and car hijackers as part of its election commitments.
The party’s justice spokesman Mr Alan Shatter said strict sentences were required as a deterrent due to street violence and car hijacking reaching "epidemic proportions in our cities".
The sentences would also apply to those convicted of causing death by reckless driving.
There has been a failure on the part of legislators to recognise that a car is "a lethal weapon when driven recklessly and dangerously", he said, accusing the courts of being too lenient on those convicted of car crimes.
"This radical change in our law will ensure that those responsible for causing mayhem on our streets and roads are held accountable and that there is greater uniformity in court sentences," he said.