Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

When Michael Donnellan appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on the Loughan House issue, he also spoke about the process whereby victims can opt in to be kept informed about developments. We suggested that the process should involve an opt-out facility because, first, not many people are aware of the service and, second, victims may not want to pursue this route in the aftermath of a crime or court case and as time goes on they will forget about it or it will not remain a priority. If they are required to opt out from being kept informed, however, they would have to think about it.

I am thinking in particular of the new pilot scheme. Were victims' families informed that the 130 prisoners on the pilot scheme were in a community or providing a service?

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