Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when he intends to publish the spent convictions Bill; when this important legislation will be put through the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13940/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 is included on the priority 'A' list of Government legislation. I expect to be in a position to publish the Bill, drafting of which is almost complete, very shortly.

The Bill will allow former offenders to withhold details of certain qualifying convictions once certain conditions have been met and an appropriate conviction free period has been completed. The Bill will not entail a deletion of a criminal record but rather the non-disclosure of the conviction in certain circumstances. Convictions for sexual offences and offences reserved for trial by the Central Criminal Court (e.g. murder and rape) will be excluded from benefiting under the Bill, while persons applying for positions of employment involving the care of children and vulnerable adults will continue to have to disclose all past convictions.

Once published, I will be anxious to have the Bill enacted without delay.