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Fri 11 Nov 2002Public safety primary factor in temporary release, says O'DeaJudges are not handing out realistic sentences to prisoners, Fine Gael has claimed in the Dáil. Its party's justice spokesman, Mr John Deasy, said the sentences they imposed did not correspond with reality and "that has weakened the criminal justice system".The Waterford TD said "a life sentence in this country is not a life sentence", but a prisoner would get seven years or more. "Any petty crook sentenced to a year understands that he will not be in jail for a year," but at most seven months.