Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 June 2023
111. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 1107 of 21 March 2023 (details supplied), if she will provide an update on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31401/23]
View answerThe criminalisation of consensual sexual acts between men in Ireland came into effect prior to the foundation of the State and remained in place until its eventual decriminalisation in 1993.
As the Deputy will be aware, I recently published the final report and recommendations of the Working Group examining the feasibility of a scheme to disregard certain historic convictions related to consensual sexual activity between men.
The report contains 95 recommendations regarding the introduction of a statutory scheme to enable the disregard of relevant criminal records. The report also makes a number of recommendations on eligibility standards, the application process that should be followed and the offences to include in the scheme.
The publication of the Working Group’s report marks an important moment in efforts to exonerate those impacted by these outdated laws and address some of the lingering harms of the past. I look forward to considering the report’s recommendations with a view to progressing the introduction of a statutory scheme.
I can inform the Deputy that my Department's records relating to High Court, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights in relation to the reform of laws criminalising homosexuality have been located and retrieved from storage.
Officials in my Department are in the process of cataloguing these records in preparation for transfer to the National Archives. When this process has been completed the records will be made available to the public.
