Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to introduce a formal annual review to assess the effect of the stringent new bail regime introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 2007. [19323/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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New and stringent provisions in relation to bail were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 2007. These included a requirement that applicants for bail may have to provide a statement of their means, their previous criminal record and details of any offences committed while previously on bail. The Act also provides that a Garda Superintendent may give an opinion that bail should be refused on the grounds that the applicant is likely to commit a serious offence if granted bail. The prosecution authorities were also given the right to appeal against decisions to grant bail or, where it is granted, the conditions attaching to it. The Agreed Programme for Government includes a commitment to conduct a formal annual review of the new measures in relation to bail introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 2007. As the Deputy is aware, the provisions in question have been in operation for less than a year. The issue of establishing a formal review mechanism will be addressed at the appropriate stage.