Transfer of Sentenced Persons (Amendment) Act, 1997

Amendment of section 7 of Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act, 1995 .

1.—The Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act, 1995 , is hereby amended in section 7—

(a) by the substitution of the following subsections for subsections (5) and (6):

“(5) (a) On an application to the High Court under subsection (1) of this section, if the sentence concerned imposed by the sentencing state concerned is by its legal nature incompatible with the law of the State, the Court may adapt the legal nature of the sentence to that of a sentence prescribed by the law of the State for an offence similar to the offence for which the sentence was imposed.

(b) The Minister may, in his or her absolute discretion if he or she thinks it appropriate to do so, include in an application to the High Court under subsection (1) of this section an application that the Court adapt the duration of the sentence concerned imposed by the sentencing state concerned to that of a sentence prescribed by the law of the State for an offence similar to the offence for which the sentence was imposed and, if the Minister does so and the sentence concerned imposed by the sentencing state concerned is by its duration incompatible with the law of the State, the Court may adapt the duration of that sentence as aforesaid.

(6) (a) The legal nature of a sentence adapted under paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of this section shall, as far as practicable, correspond to the legal nature of the sentence concerned imposed by the sentencing state concerned and shall not, in any event, either—

(i) aggravate it, or

(ii) exceed the maximum penalty prescribed by the law of the State for a similar offence.

(b) The duration of a sentence adapted under paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of this section shall, as far as practicable, correspond to the duration of the sentence concerned imposed by the sentencing state concerned and shall not, in any event, either—

(i) aggravate it, or

(ii) exceed the maximum penalty prescribed by the law of the State for a similar offence.”,

and

(b) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (9):

“(10) In this section, a reference to the legal nature of a sentence does not include a reference to the duration of such sentence.”.