Repeat offenders could face longer jail terms under new plans being considered by the Minister for Justice.
Frances Fitzgerald says serial offenders may have to serve one sentence at a time, instead of several at once.
Speaking at the Fine Gael national conference in Castlebar, the minister promised to get tough on serial offenders - and on the causes of serial offenders.
"We are examining the law on repeat offenders, including repeat burglaries, and the question of consecutive sentences for repeat offenders," she told delegates.
Currently many people convicted of multiple offences can serve several sentences concurrently - meaning both are served at the same time. This would be done away with under the scheme now considered by the minister.
The minister also said she doesn’t want to see so many going to jail in the first place - and wants to expand other systems like community service.
"Research within my Department clearly shows that the rate of offending for people sent to prison is higher than for those who were dealt with by the probation service, who had been offenders in the first place."
She’s also announced a review of the system on bail, to be unveiled next month.
And she says she’s considering a new Criminal Justice Inspectorate - to take over the inspection of prisons, the Gardai, and the probation service.
She says she will follow the Northern Ireland model in that regard, and that an integrated inspectorate will allow 'joined up thinking' between Gardaí and prison management.
