Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 57:

In page 24, after line 14, to insert the following:“Report of Minister

29.The Minister for Justice and Equality shall, not later than 2 years after the commencement of this Act, cause a report to be prepared on the operation of the Act and shall cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.”.

This amendment is non-contentious and simply asks for a review not later than two years after the commencement of the Act. This is important. It is the first time that we have put parole on a statutory footing. It is now a fairly comprehensive Bill with a number of issues that are not clear. Deputy Ó Laoghaire raised one earlier relating to minor offences and whether somebody is guilty of an offence simply because of something minor such as a lack of sobriety. There are other issues related to the input of victims, which are very important and which almost every organisation has called for. It is not clear what the guidelines around that input are or how that will work out. It is not clear how it will work out with the move back to eight years instead of 12 years and all of the other practical problems. This is a minimal amendment which should be included and I hope that the Minister will consent to have it in the Bill.

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