Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

One of the advantages in not being the Minister is one does not have to respond on every amendment. I will take up what Deputy Sherlock said. Section 27 which is being inserted into the Bill by way of amendment No. 37 takes care of the Deputy's concern. It provides that the board, in deciding whether to grant parole, shall take into account the nature and gravity of the offence to which the sentence of imprisonment relates. This, necessarily, will involve the board considering the impact of the offence that was perpetrated by the applicant for parole on the victim. Subparagraph (l) provides that the board will also take into account any submission made by or on behalf of the relevant victim in accordance with procedures determined under section 14. This means that the victim of a crime or the family of the victim of a crime will be able to make whatever submission they wish to the board. The Deputy is concerned to ensure it will take into account the long-term and continuing impact the crime has had on the victim. I would have thought it would because those making submissions on behalf of the victim of a crime could say the person was still traumatised and badly affected by the consequences of the parole applicant's behaviour.

There has to be some objectivity to the parole process. For example, are family members who are much more vocal or taken the crime much more seriously having been affected by it to be treated more preferably than a victim who does not have a family advocating on his or her behalf? There is a balance to be struck. My own view is that the Deputy's concern is met in the Bill. The Parole board will be able to listen to submissions from the victim of a crime or his or her family on the impact the crime has had on them.

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