Parties claim Bill lacks criteria for prisoner releases

Opposition parties have warned they will be tabling amendments to the Government's new Bill, published yesterday, providing for prisoner releases under the Belfast Agreement.

Both Fine Gael and Democratic Left claim the Bill is short on detail and lacking any criteria for the release of prisoners.

The Criminal Justice (Release of Prisoners) Bill, 1998, provides for the setting up of a Release of Prisoners Commission which will be independent in the performance of its functions.

The main function of the Commission will be to advise the Minister on the exercise of any power of release in relation to those whom the Minister specifies as qualifying prisoners for the purposes of the Belfast Agreement. The Commission will consist of a chairperson - a solicitor or a barrister - and two ordinary members appointed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

The Fine Gael spokesman, Mr Charles Flanagan, described the Government's Bill as "lacking in specifics and weak". Fine Gael would be supporting the Bill but also tabling amendments at Committee Stage seeking greater transparency in the operation of releases.

There should be an assurance that each release would be by way of licence which was revocable by the Minister should an individual depart from "good behaviour", Mr Flanagan said. The DL leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, indicated his intention to table an amendment to ensure that information on the release of any paramilitary prisoner would be made available to a victim or the family of a victim of the crime for which the prisoner was serving a sentence.

Welcoming the fact that the Government, under Opposition pressure, had decided to honour the commitment to introduce legislation on the release of prisoners, Mr De Rossa said the Commission should be entitled to request from the Minister or the Garda Commissioner details of the offence committed by the prisoner; the impact of the offence on any victim; and information on the general character of the prisoner.