Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:23. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she will establish the Parole Board on a statutory basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17114/16]
View answerWednesday, 22 June 2016
Questions (23)
Written answers
The establishment of a Parole Board on a statutory basis was a commitment under the previous Programme for Government. I have publicly stated my intention to develop and bring forward legislative proposals providing for a statutory Parole Board and this was also a commitment in the Fine Gael manifesto earlier this year.
Draft proposals have been under development in my Department to establish a statutory Parole Board which will set out the Board’s functions, powers and structure. The objective is a more effective and streamlined parole process which, while being of benefit to the prisoner, will always have public safety as a paramount concern.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the Parole Bill 2016, a Private Member’s Bill, was introduced by Deputy Jim O’Callaghan on 24 May 2016. The aim of this Bill is also to establish the Parole Board as an independent statutory body and confer on it responsibility for granting parole to eligible offenders.
The Bill completed Second Stage in this House on 15 June 2016. As the principle of establishing the Parole Board on a statutory basis is in line with Government policy, on that basis I did not oppose the Bill.
There are a number of legal and technical difficulties which must be addressed to ensure any new framework is constitutionally and legally sound and operationally practicable and effective. The principal concerns with the Parole Bill introduced into the House last week relate to potential constitutional issues arising from a Parole Board completely independent of the Executive, the appeal mechanism, the issuing of warrants by the board, the exemption of certain categories of offenders and the quasi-judicial nature of the board as envisaged in the Bill. The financial implications must also be considered.
I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to the establishment of a statutory Parole Board. Both the proposals under development within my Department and those in Deputy O’Callaghan’s Parole Bill are being considered in conjunction with each other, and I look forward to engaging with Deputy O’Callaghan in this regard.