Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the Deputies and the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality, in particular, for their contributions to the debate. I will of take on board the points made. I welcome the report, which is a valuable contribution to the debate on issues of sentencing and penal reform. I share its long-standing commitment to this area. Progressive reforms of the penal policy and modernisation of the prison system have taken place in recent years. It is an ongoing process of work and I am happy to continue to engage on this with the committee and Members of the House.

The wide-ranging nature of the recommendations in a number of areas is impressive. Many are linked with, and complementary, to the current reform programme being implemented. Penal reform is a challenge to tackle. Reform takes time and patience but it also takes resources and commitment. I encourage Deputies to review the report of the implementation and oversight group tasked with implementing the recommendations of the PPRG. These reports give a fair reflection of the awareness of the issues in my Department and show the body of work already done.

Furthermore, the interagency group on co-operation for a fairer and safer Ireland is due to submit its first report to me in the near future. I am informed that the committee's report was raised at a recent meeting and will be discussed in more detail at the next meeting. The interdepartmental group to examine issues with people with mental illness who come into contact with the criminal justice system will submit its second report to me in the coming weeks. The recommendations of this report and the group's first report will then be considered. I reiterate that reform takes commitment and resources and I assure Deputies of my commitment to that. I am satisfied that some of the points made indicate that the Department of Justice and Equality, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service are committed to continuing the progressive reform that has begun.

I will ensure the necessary resources are in place to match this commitment. This can be seen in the recommencement of recruitment in the Irish Prison Service last year, when 85 new staff joined the service. The new staff will ensure the service is renewed and have the capacity to continue to provide for safe and secure custody and rehabilitation in all prisons throughout the country. Recruitment is continuing this year when it is anticipated approximately 200 further prison officers will be recruited.

I acknowledge the points made by Deputy Jim O'Callaghan made about alternatives to prison and the need to ensure prisons are a place of last resort for the courts. It is essential on every occasion that the courts have a menu of alternatives to placing people in custodial detention.

The report is informative, detailed and comprehensive. It has many implications for the services involved in terms of policy, infrastructure, responsibilities and resources. As such, I will need time to examine it thoroughly with my officials to ascertain how we might chart an avenue to make progress. I assure the House, as we near the end of another Dáil term, that I am very open to engaging with the Chairman of the committee on the report and the recommendations contained therein. I trust that I will have an opportunity to do so in the early autumn.

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