Eoin Ryan
Ceist:360 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the Bail Act, 1997, will enter into force. [15692/98]
Written Answers. - Bail Act, 1997.
The Bail Act, 1997 was passed into law by the Oireachtas in May of last year. Section 13 of the Act provides that the Act, or any particular provision or provisions of it, will come into operation by order to be made by the Minister.
I have informed the House in response to previous questions that the provisions of the Act have not been brought into force because existing prison accommodation would not be able to deal with the additional demand. I am sure that all Members of the House would agree that we need to avoid a situation where convicted persons would have to be released to make space for additional remand prisoners. I have also indicated to the House that I was keeping the matter under continuous review in the context of the major prison building programme which I have under way at present which includes a new remand prison for 400 beside Wheatfield. It remains the case that prison accommodation is not yet adequate to bring the provisions of the Bail Act generally into force at this stage.
However, section 10 of the Act has already been brought into operation with effect from 2 June 1998. That section amends section 11 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, with the aim of strengthening its provisions in relation to the imposition of consecutive sentences for offences committed while on bail.
As to other provisions of the Act, I will continue to keep the matter under review with a view to bringing them into operation as quickly as possible.