I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 to 565, inclusive, together.
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. Last year, I appointed a Senior Counsel, Lorcan Staines, to undertake an assessment of the current operation of bail in Ireland, both legal and practical.
The commissioning of the report arose from concerns regarding bail processes and their applicability to recidivist offenders. These concerns were acknowledged in my 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.
Mr Staines’s report ‘An Assessment of the Efficacy of Bail Laws in Ireland’ was published by my Department in November 2025. This examination of our bail laws and subsequent proposals underlines the need for additional actions to be taken to ensure the criminal justice system effectively mitigates against risks that may be associated with individuals on bail.
One of the recommendations outlined in the report was “Significant and immediate investment should be made in the information sharing systems for both An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service. The accurate recording and sharing of information between these bodies should be prioritised.” This is a long-term recommendation. There are currently a number of projects taking place across the sector which will contribute to an improvement in the information sharing systems for both An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service, along with the system overall.
The Courts Service is undertaking a major initiative to implement a Unified Case Management System (UCMS) for criminal matters, as part of their ten-year Modernisation Programme. Under the Modernisation Programme, the Unified Case Management System (UCMS) is to replace all civil and criminal case systems within the Courts Service with one modern case management system that will enable end to end digital journeys, streamlining of processes and further enabling the sharing of data with justice sector bodies.
Other notable projects in this sphere include the project to codify the criminal offence codes used by criminal justice agencies in the sector. The Department is currently reviewing what further work may be required to fully implement a recommendation such as this.
