Would You Vote Yes to Reinstate The Death Penalty? Episode 801

Should Ireland bring back the death penalty?

In this episode, Niall opens the lines to hear what listeners really think about one of the most divisive questions in criminal justice. If there were a referendum tomorrow, would you vote to restore capital punishment for the most horrific crimes, or should Ireland never return to state executions?

Supporters argue that some crimes are so evil that life imprisonment simply isn’t enough. They believe the death penalty delivers justice for victims and their families, protects society from the worst offenders, and ensures that those guilty of the most heinous crimes can never offend again.

Opponents argue that no justice system is infallible and that executing an innocent person can never be undone. They also question whether the death penalty actually deters crime, pointing to research suggesting countries without capital punishment are not necessarily less safe. Others believe that, regardless of the crime, the State should never take a human life.

Around the world, capital punishment remains a reality in roughly 55 countries, while more than 140 have abolished it in law or no longer carry out executions. In the United States, the death penalty is still authorised in 27 states, although many rarely use it. Around 2,000 people remain on death row across America, while the number of executions each year is relatively small by comparison, typically measured in the dozens rather than hundreds.

Ireland has long since turned its back on capital punishment. The last execution carried out in the State was that of Michael Manning in 1954. The last death sentence imposed was in 1957, although it was later commuted to life imprisonment. Capital punishment was abolished for ordinary criminal offences in 1964, completely abolished in 1990, and its return was constitutionally prohibited following a referendum in 2001.

So where do you stand? Should Ireland ever bring back the death penalty for the worst crimes imaginable, or is life imprisonment the only punishment a modern democracy should allow?