Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone who contributed to the debate. I have listened carefully to the range of views expressed on this important subject. I am grateful for the constructive suggestions on what we could do to progress real and meaningful penal reform. The first concern of the Minister for Justice and Equality is public protection and safety, reducing reoffending and helping to make communities safer for everyone. She is committed to having a programme of comprehensive reform in the administration of criminal justice, including, in particular, reform of prison and penal policy. She believes this reform will contribute to having a safer, more efficient and equitable criminal justice system. In that regard, she very much welcomes the Inspector of Prisons' independent review of the Irish Prison Service. The review will focus on cultural issues within the service. It is timely and will build on the significant progress made in recent years. While much has been done to address the many issues which have adversely affected the prison system for many years, the Minister believes more can and should be done. Like the inspector, she wants to ensure everything possible is done to reinforce a positive culture at every level of the service. She looks forward to receiving the inspector’s report in six months time and is confident that it will make a positive contribution to reforms already under way in the service.

There is much commonality in the report of the joint committee on penal reform and the report of the penal policy review group. Both reports are important and the Minister is anxious to press ahead with action on foot of the recommendations of the review group with the aim, as the report states, of developing and sustaining a just, proportionate and humane penal system which will contribute to the overall goal of reducing the level of offending. The Minister is confident that implementation of the recommendations of the review group, supported by the report of the joint committee, will make a real difference in contributing to future policy and practice. I assure the House of her commitment to a programme of comprehensive reforms in the administration of criminal justice, in particular reform of prison and penal policy. She believes this reform will contribute to a safer, more efficient and equitable criminal justice system.

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