Programme for Government

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Questions (482)

Patrick Costello

Question:

482. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to establish a penal policy consultative council to advise on penal policy. [23159/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, the Justice Plan 2021 commits to a suite of actions to reduce re-offending rates for those convicted of crime, including the publication of a policy review on penal policy in the third quarter of this year.

This review will set out actions to be taken to reduce the rate of re-offending. As part of this, it is intended to establish a penal policy consultative council to advise on penal policy.

This will require a multi-agency and interdepartmental approach to deliver progressive, integrated policy interventions for prisons and penal reform over a three year plan.

At present this work is being aligned with other Criminal Justice Strategies and a workinggroup comprising of representatives from the Department of Justice, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service has been established to drive forward this work.