Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has published the report on the operation of bail in Ireland prepared by Senior Counsel Lorcan Staines.
The report, ‘An Assessment of the Efficacy of Bail Laws in Ireland’, considers the legal framework surrounding bail and assesses the current operation of the criminal justice system as it relates to the bail process.
Minister O’Callaghan informed Government of his intention to publish the report.
The commissioning of the report arose from concerns regarding bail processes and their applicability to recidivist offenders. These concerns were acknowledged in the Minister’s apology to the family of the late Shane O’Farrell, who was tragically killed in August 2011 when struck by a car driven by a person who was on bail for a series of offences at the time.
Minister Jim O’Callaghan said:
““While bail laws in Ireland are comprehensive, I am committed to ensuring they are fit for purpose while ensuring fundamental rights principles are adhered to.”
“This examination of our bail laws and subsequent proposals, underlines the need for additional actions to be considered to ensure the criminal justice system effectively mitigates against risks that may be associated with individuals on bail.”
“It is totally unacceptable that offences are committed by people on bail. That is a direct breach of their promise made when bail is granted by the court. The report is a detailed analysis that will greatly assist in considering how our criminal justice system might better respond to recidivist offenders who persistently break summary laws.”
I want to thank Lorcan Staines SC for his work on compiling this comprehensive report,” he said.