asked the Minister for Justice if he has any plans to substitute for remand orders such alternative procedures as house arrest or reporting to Garda stations, thereby easing overcrowding in prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Remand Orders.
17.
Where the courts decide that a remand in custody is not warranted they have wide discretion in deciding on the conditions to be imposed on a person being granted bail. In view of this, and having regard to the fact that in our jurisdiction the number of offenders in custody on remand is realtively small, I see no need at this time to change present arrangements in relation to remand order.
I should like to put it to the Minister, bearing in mind the problem we discussed under the last question, that one way of coping with the problem of numbers in prison is to introduce a half-way system. Will the Minister accept that it would be a desirable objective to consider a system between the absolute of no bail on the one hand and a bond on the other, a house bail under which a person would be confined to a specific area? Has the Minister given consideration to the scheme in operation on a trial basis in Britain under which people are tagged and a record kept of their whereabouts? Is it not time that we looked at this problem bearing in mind the overcrowding in our prisons and the cost of maintaining a person in prison?
The Minister for Justice is of the opinion that very few are remanded in custody. Nevertheless, I appreciate the point made by the Deputy about other approaches to bail and I will convey his views to the Minister for Justice.
What is the daily average of people on remand? How small is "small"?
That was not referred to in the Deputy's question but I will obtain the information for him.
It would be very much part of the answer.
I appreciate that.