Vol. 509 No. 1
90 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will intro duce legislation to allow for automatic remand in custody of persons charged for the second time with the crime of driving a stolen car, being an occupant in a stolen car or being an accessory to the theft of a car; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18491/99]
The offences referred to in the Deputy's question are all covered by the terms of the Bail Act, 1997, which, following the 1996 constitutional amendment on bail, provides in section 2 that a court may refuse bail to a person charged with a serious offence where such refusal is reasonably considered necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence by that person. Section 13 of the Act provides that the Act, or any provision or provisions of it will come into operation by order to be made by the Minister.
I have informed the House in response to previous questions that the full implementation of the Bail Act is not yet possible because existing prison accommodation would not be able to deal with the additional demand. I have kept this matter under continuous review in the context of the major prison building programme which I have under way at present. As a consequence, the provisions of the Bail Act have been implemented in part.
As to the full implementation of the Act, I will, against the background of the coming on stream of the new remand prison in Cloverhill and the midlands prison, continue to keep the matter under review to ensure that the Act can be brought into operation generally as soon as possible.
