Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The Deputy can be assured that the Irish Prison Service is conscious of the harmful, potentially devastating, consequences of crime on victims. The service acknowledges that the impact of crime on victims varies in nature and force and the service seeks to take account of their experiences and needs. Where victims make their views known to the service, they are always taken into consideration when making sentence management decisions, such as granting temporary release. While it is, of course, appropriate that the sensitivities and concerns of victims of crime should be carefully considered, a balance must also be struck with other sometimes conflicting factors, such as the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community.

When victims of crime request it, the Prison Service victim liaison officer will enter into direct contact with them to inform them of any significant development in the management of the perpetrator's sentence as well as any impending release. Such significant developments could include temporary releases, parole board hearings, prison transfers and expected release dates. The victim liaison officer will also provide victims with general information on the prison system, such as the prison regime, remission on sentences and our system of parole, including the operation of the Parole Board. This is, however, a voluntary service and it is for the victim or an immediate family member in the case of a person who has died as a result of a crime to chose if he or she wishes to obtain information about a prisoner. I should also say that, for very understandable reasons, many victims do not want any further contact after the court process is finished.

Details of the victim liaison service are available on the Irish Prison Service website.

Victims or immediate family members may register for the service by writing to the victim liaison officer at Prison Service headquarters in Longford. As part of the redevelopment of the Irish Prison Service website, a facility to allow victims to register online is also being developed and will be available in the coming weeks.

Finally, there is a commitment in the programme for Government regarding the introduction of a Bill to detail in law the protections available to victims of crime. Developments in the European Union may result in a victims of crime measure that will apply across all member states. If such a measure is directly applicable we will not be obliged to publish our own legislation. It is likely that legislation to go hand in hand with this measure will be produced and that it will address issues relating to victims in the context of prescribing their rights and entitlements in respect of the information which should be made available to them.

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