Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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311. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the review of presumptive minimum sentences that was commissioned by his Department and was due to be published in July 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49341/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Penal Policy Review Group (PPRG) was established in 2012 to conduct a wide ranging strategic review of penal policy, taking into account relevant work already carried out in this jurisdiction and elsewhere, the rights of those convicted of crimes, the perspective of those who are victims of crime and the interests of society in general. The report of the PPRG titled ‘Strategic Review of Penal Policy’, was published on 17 September 2014. In November 2014 the report of the Group was submitted to Government.

An Implementation and Oversight Group was established in early 2015, comprising officials from the Department of Justice and Equality, the Irish Prison Service, Probation Service and An Garda Síochána. Its primary function is to report to the Minister, on a six monthly basis, on the implementation status of the recommendations of the PPRG.

One of the recommendations of the Strategic Review of Penal Policy was a review of the principle behind mandatory sentencing. While it was anticipated that this recommendation would be achieved by mid-2018, the issue is still under consideration.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has introduced the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2018 which provides for presumptive minimum sentences for repeat sex offenders. This Bill is based on existing legislative precedent for presumptive minimum sentences and its introduction is not intended to impact on the review of the principle behind mandatory sentences, which is ongoing.