Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 September 2008
765 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if interim recommendation of the National Commission on Restorative Justice that a restorative dimension be applied to the adult cautioning system has been implemented; if so, the details of same; and if not, the reason it has not been implemented. [29560/08]
View answerThe adult cautioning scheme operates on a non-statutory basis and under the common law powers of An Garda Síochána. Offences deemed appropriate for inclusion in the scheme were arrived at through consultations between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and An Garda Síochána. The circumstances under which a person is dealt with by way of adult caution is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Officials in my Department are considering how the recommendations contained in the Interim Report of the National Commission on Restorative Justice should be acted upon.
766 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the interim recommendation of the National Commission on Restorative Justice that a restorative justice measure be piloted with a number of suitable prisoners at the pre-release stage of their sentences has been implemented; if so, the details of same; and if not, the reason it has not been implemented. [29561/08]
View answerThe Interim Report of the National Commission on Restorative Justice was published on the 21 May, 2008. The report includes a recommendation that consideration be given to piloting an appropriate restorative justice measure with a small number of suitable prisoners at a pre-release stage of their sentence and at the request of the victim and/or offender.
I have asked the Director General of the Irish Prison Service to examine this recommendation having regard to the need to identify criteria for selection, and to ascertain which victims (if any) would be willing to request that a restorative justice measure be implemented in their case and to submit his proposals to me in due course.
Interventions currently available to prisoners including victim awareness programmes and alternatives to violence courses already encompass elements of the restorative justice concept.
