Vol. 491 No. 2
88 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when it is intended to introduce the independent parole and remission board as promised in An Action Programme for the Millennium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11366/98]
The Programme for Government made a number of commitments on the reform of the prison service including the establishment of an independent prisons' authority to administer the country's prison system, the appointment of a prisons' inspectorate and the establishment of an independent parole and remission board.
Under the strategic management initiative process the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in conjunction with local management of the prison service, has been working on the administrative arrangements to allow the authority to be set up. This transition work will involve such matters as putting in place appropriate systems, such as IT systems, financial management systems, support for management development and, of course, ongoing consultation with staff associations. The necessary legislation will be prepared in due course in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. This legislation may also address the two other important commitments on the reform of the prison service mentioned above, though, if necessary, the parole board and the prisons inspectorate could be dealt with in separate legislation.
Early in December I announced I had received Government approval to proceed with the appointment of an interim board to drive forward the intensive preparations required to effect the transition to the authority, pending the enactment of legislation to establish the new structure on a statutory basis. There are some detailed matters surrounding accountability for the prison service and I will be bringing proposals to Government shortly to address these matters. It is expected that the interim board will be appointed in the near future. Legislation will be brought before Government following the establishment of the interim board.
