Round-up: Commencement of the Parole Act

17th August 2021

A new statutory Parole Board has been established and the Parole Act 2019 has been commenced. The parole process is now on a statutory footing, which IPRT has campaigned on for many years.

IPRT comment featured prominently in the media coverage and debate around the changes.

In our engagement with media, as we have with all stakeholders, we underlined the significance of this change for victims, as well as for parole candidates. While we welcome the clarity the commencement of the Act brings, we expressed concern around the impact that the increase in the number of years before a life-sentenced prisoner becomes eligible for their first parole review could have on delaying the engagement with rehabilitative treatments and services in prison

See IPRT comment in Independent, The Times (Ireland), RTÉ and the Law Society Gazette.
 

Listen back:

• RTÉ Radio One: News at One (11 August)
  IPRT Executive Director, Fíona Ní Chinnéide, joined Justin McCarthy for a short segment to discuss the significance of changing the period before a life-sentenced prisoner can first apply for parole from 7 to 12 years. (3 minutes)
   
• Newstalk: The Pat Kenny Show (12 August)
  IPRT Executive Director, Fíona Ní Chinnéide, joined Pat to discuss the commencement of the Act and what this means for prisoners serving life sentences in Ireland. (13 minutes)
   
• Kfm: Kildare Today (13 August)
  IPRT Legal and Public Affairs Manager, Molly Joyce, joined Clem to give an outline of the changes. (8 minutes)