Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I support my colleague, Senator Mulcahy, in his request. I was part of the justice committee he mentioned, and I was present when he made his powerful contribution. I am very glad to hear, as I know he is, about the good news on the Istanbul Convention, which is a serious issue for non-governmental organisations and so on. Everyone will be very glad to hear that.

The issue I raise is when the problem for people with criminal records will be addressed. This relates to the issue of spent convictions which, as the Minister is aware, is a black spot in terms of the Irish criminal justice system in that we are now the only country in the European Union, and one of very few in the Council of Europe area, which does not have legislation generally allowing for convictions to be considered spent following a set rehabilitative period, other than the small number of convictions covered by the Children Act 2001.

The Seanad passed the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill in 2012 but the legislation is stalled in the Dáil. I understand it has not yet passed beyond Committee Stage.