Seanad debates

Monday, 7 December 2015

Prisons Bill 2015: Second Stage

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Martin ConwayMartin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I extend what appears to be an almost daily welcome to the Minister to this House. She is probably one of the hardest working members of Government, if not the hardest working. I go home on a Friday evening but the Minister will pop up in Brussels, which shows her commitment to public service.

This Bill is very welcome. I was part of a delegation from the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, which included my colleague, Senator Bacik, and others, that visited the Mountjoy campus and St. Patrick's Institution. We saw what the staff there were trying to achieve but it was not fit for purpose. The correct strategy, which was part of the commitment in the programme for Government in 2011, is to close St. Patrick's Institution. This legislation is appropriate but, in essence, it is technical in nature. The decision has been made to close the institution, which is happening, but for legal and technical reasons, this Bill is necessary as a tidying up exercise and to proceed with the completion of the project.

No young person should end up in prison, if at all possible. This House unanimously passed motions on restorative justice and the need for a community court and I am pleased the Department of Justice and Equality and Minister are committed to developing pilot projects, in particular in the area of restorative justice. The pilot projects in north Tipperary and south county Dublin have been very successful and I would like them to be extended nationwide. We have seen the success of restorative justice practices in Northern Ireland in recent years and their success in places such as Canada, Australia and elsewhere. There are also the unofficial restorative practices that have been engaged in by community groups, which perhaps many of us do not know about and which are achieving significant results, particularly some of those taking place in schools.

Young people who commit crime usually do so because of a set of circumstances in which they find themselves, such as social deprivation or not having the opportunities others have. They are the issues with which we need to deal. We need to equip those young people with opportunities to ensure they can play a meaningful role in society. Many people turn to crime because they do not feel they have any hope in society. The Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality published a groundbreaking report on penal reform and I pay tribute to Senator Bacik for her work in this area.

Prior to taking up her role as Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald was Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, at which time she started a necessary conversation followed by actions, which have resulted in children in this country being recognised properly as a result of the referendum and as a result of our having a senior Minister with responsibility for children. It is probably an appropriate progression that this Minister would take over as Minister for Justice and Equality to further develop the commitment this Government has to children.

I acknowledge that Senator Wilson and the Fianna Fáil Party are supporting this Bill. I hope it gets unanimous support in the House because it is necessary, important and technical in nature. We are all committed to the one goal here. This House regularly comes together and unanimously supports something that is right and proper, and this is right and proper. It will be another significant achievement for the Houses of the Oireachtas if we can get this Bill over the line and ensure St. Patrick's Institution is consigned to its place in history.

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