The Parole Board’s Chief Executive has said it will be “quite a time” before they clear the backlog of applications that built up during the pandemic.
Ciairín de Buis told The Pat Kenny Show that 190 prisoners serving life sentences had submitted requests for parole and that all of them had spent at least 12 years behind bars:
“That is going to take quite a time for us [to hold] that number of parole hearings,” Ms de Buis said.
“And there will be new applications coming in as people are eligible… We’re now in the process of developing our hearings and working to ensure that there isn’t that backlog on an ongoing basis.
“Because traditionally there was; the parole board, while having new roles and responsibilities in terms of working with victims, also has additional resources that wouldn’t have been available to it previously.
“So we’re working to ensure that once we have transitioned into this new system, that there won’t be the undue delays and the backlog that there was previously.”
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Ms de Buis also said she would encourage victims to ensure their details are registered with the parole board, so if and when the person who killed their loved one is release, then they can be informed beforehand:
“We very much welcome victims registering with us,” she added.
“If they want to go onto our website or if they want to give us a ring and register with us, we will be linking in and contacting victims and letting them know that they can make a submission to us.
“And if they do choose to register with us - and it’s entirely their choice - they will be informed then when someone is applying for parole and ultimately [about] the parole decision.
“And we do want to hear from victims.
“Victims have a right to be heard… Ultimately it is the decision of the parole board whether or not to grant parole and it’s important within that context, as well hearing from the parole applicant, to also hear from the victim.”
Main image: A prisoner in handcuffs arriving at The Four Courts in Dublin. Picture by: :Leon Farrell Photocall Ireland
