Homicide and parole bills
Micheál Martin pressed for progress on legislation so homicide offenders cannot benefit from their crimes and on the Parole Bill. The Justice Minister accepted the importance of both Bills and said he wanted to advance them once the Brexit legislation was concluded.
In the context of justice legislation and the "Claire Byrne Live" programmes last week and this week, there is a need to progress legislation to ensure those who commit homicides will not benefit from their actions, particularly in cases of familicide. Deputy O'Callaghan tabled the Civil Liability (Amendment) (Prevention of Benefits from Homicide) Bill 2017 just over two years ago and it was passed on Second Stage in October last year.
The Government did not oppose it and it now needs to prioritise it. The Parole Bill was published in 2016 and passed Second Stage. It passed Committee Stage in May 2017 and the Government gave a commitment to bringing it to Report and Final Stages. At present, a person may apply for parole after seven years and the Bill proposes to raise this to 12 years. The parents and family of Rachel O'Reilly are particularly anxious about this. The Bill has other positive provisions. Will the Taoiseach agree to accelerate the passage of both these Bills? They are well drafted. Deputy O'Callaghan is a good legislator and knows what he is doing. It is sometimes alleged that Opposition Bills are not up to scratch. These ones are and they should be done.
Comment on this
I accept the importance of Deputy Micheál Martin's point and I agree with him. The Government is on record as accepting the principle of both Bills. Now that the Brexit legislation has been settled and will hopefully be passed in the coming days, I am keen to sign off on a number of amendments on both these Bills. I am anxious to advance both, acknowledging the importance of what Deputy Martin has said.