Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

He is opposed to the courts being furnished with victim impact statements prior to sentencing in the context of the vast majority of offences. He essentially wants to confine victim impact statements to bereaved family members of homicide victims and to circumstances in which they can at present be made. In this legislation, we have express provision identical to that announced by the Minister last Thursday, published by Fine Gael last January, to facilitate the giving of victim impact statements by the families of homicide victims. Today, the Minister who promised it last Thursday is voting against that exact provision.

He is also opposed to the imposition of an obligation on the DPP to keep victims informed at all stages of the criminal prosecution process of progress being made and of court events, in so far as this can be done in a manner that does not prejudice a trial. There is no possibility of such legislation being enacted by this Minister.

He is opposed to the creation of an updated statutory charter of rights for victims of crime. The commission created by the Minister——

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