Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the recently published interim report by the national commission on restorative justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21133/08]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will to mainstream and roll out nationally the restorative justice programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21132/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 202 together.

The concept of Restorative Justice does have a place in how we deal with offending behaviour. To date we have two such projects funded by my Department, through the Probation Service. We must, of course, learn from the experience of how restorative justice has worked both here in Ireland and in other jurisdictions so that future expansion of the restorative justice model will be guided by best practice.

It was on that basis, that my Department established a National Commission on Restorative Justice in March, 2007. In welcoming the Commission's Interim Report on Restorative Justice, published on 21 May, I indicated that we must optimise all our polices and resources in the unrelenting fight against crime, so that the citizen is protected, the offender is helped to rehabilitate and the best mix of policies is implemented.

The Interim Report looks at how restorative justice is currently applied here and in other jurisdictions and examines research-based evidence abroad on the potential of restorative justice as an additional measure to combat crime and respond to the needs of victims. The Commission will now continue with its in-depth examination of the issue and I expect to receive its final report and recommendations by June 2009. The Final Report will inform future decisions on making greater use of the concept of Restorative Justice here.