Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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368. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the criminal justice (community sanctions) Bill; the timeline for its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7117/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill 2014 seeks to update the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 .

The aim of the new Bill is to provide a modern statement of the law governing community sanctions and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system. It will facilitate the effective and efficient use of community sanctions by the courts and will ensure that the courts have a wide range of appropriate options for dealing with persons who have committed minor offences.

The legislation also takes account of the interests of victims of crime by making it a statutory requirement for the courts to have regard to the interests of victims when making decisions about community sanctions.

While the original heads were approved by Government in 2014 they are currently being reviewed in context of the penal policy review underway in my Department.

The policy review of the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill 2014 in consultation with the Probation Service and the Prison Service, is due for completion in the second quarter of this year.