Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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854. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she intends to extend the operation of the Parole Act 2019 to sentences of more than eight years and less than life; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48462/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Parole Board was established as a statutory body under the Parole Act 2019 on 31 July 2021, replacing the non-statutory Interim Parole Board which had been in place since 2001.

At present, the provisions of the Parole Act 2019 apply to those serving a sentence of imprisonment for life. Section 24(3) of the Parole Act 2019 provides that the Minister may introduce regulations prescribing eligibility criteria for applications for parole for those serving long-term fixed sentences.

To date, no such regulations have been made. In making regulations under section 24(3), the Minister is required to consider the desirability of equality of treatment with regard to eligibility for consideration for parole of people serving different types of sentences, the objective of incentivising people serving sentences to be rehabilitated, and the availability of other forms of early release.

The Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 (approved by Government at the end of August 2022) contains a commitment (Action 15) to examine the policy base to allow for the introduction of the regulations necessary to determine eligibility for parole for those serving long-term fixed sentences under the statutory Parole Board. My Department is due to commence shortly.