Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 37:

In page 12, line 11, after "bail" to insert "and shall otherwise be of good behaviour".

This amendment deals with the recognisance that must be entered into by somebody released on bail. The section states: "(a) the recognisance shall, in addition to the condition requiring his or her appearance before the court at the end of the period of remand of the accused person, be subject to the condition that the accused person shall not commit an offence while on bail,". Traditionally over the years, any such recognisance always carried the additional wording that the person released on bail had to be otherwise of good behaviour. The question arises as to why a somewhat more lenient situation should arise. I would expect that anybody who would be released on bail, apart from being obligated not to commit offences, should be of good behaviour while on bail pending trial. The purpose of the amendment is to reinstate what has been the traditional recognisance of good behaviour while on bail.

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