Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I am not sympathetic to this amendment. If a victim is not to be consulted, it would add insult to injury for a criminal to have such a right. When people are incarcerated, hopefully by due process, they should be there to serve their sentence. They should not be in a position to campaign or advocate for temporary release. There is a system already in place. Adding this amendment to the legislation would not be right and would run contrary to everything we have said in relation to recognition for the victim. The legislation refers to a report or a recommendation made by any other person whom the Minister considers would be of assistance in enabling him to make a decision. This covers the point made by Senator Tuffy that a person who might be an acquaintance of, or familiar with the person in jail, might be able to give evidence as to why temporary release for that prisoner would be desirable in the circumstances. Incorporating this amendment in the Bill would be wrong, even though the Bill allows for victims to be consulted.