New Parole Board

It is welcome news the establishment of an independent Parole Board to replace the current board that was established on an administrative basis in 2001. The new Parole Board will be accompanied by a statute, will be completed by July this year, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has announced. The minister has set out the details of the Parole Board in the Parole Act 2019, which will involve obtaining accommodation for the new Board along with an appointment of staff and a CEO. Currently, the Parole Act 2019 set the parole board up on an independent statutory footing, which allows for decisions to be reached independent of the Minister currently in charge, and a clear and transparent criteria for how the board will reach its decisions. It is also welcomed that a draft legal aid scheme with legal procedures and guidance will be set out by the Parole Board, permitted by the €1.3 million funding it has received.