Irish Penal Reform Trust

Lobbying Organisation Irish Penal Reform Trust

Date published 21 Sep, 2021

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 May, 2021 to 31 Aug, 2021

Specific Details Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021

Intended results Send members of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice a copy of IPRT briefing on the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021 in advance of Third Stage consideration. To explain IPRT position and concerns about the use of presumptive mandatory minimum sentences, and make proposals for wide-ranging reform. To ask members of Oireachtas Committee on Justice to table specific amendments to the Bill at Committee stage.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Molly Joyce, Legal & Public Affairs Manager

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (11-20)

Emailed each member of Justice Committee to ask them to consider IPRT briefing on the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021, and to consider tabling amendments to the Bill which would: remove the statutory bar on temporary release for people convicted of certain drug and firearms offences; and repeal all presumptive minimum sentences that remain within legislation.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Patrick Costello TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Creed TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pa Daly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Howlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Lawless TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Niamh Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Robbie Gallagher Senator (Seanad)

Vincent P Martin Senator (Seanad)

Michael McDowell Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Ruane Senator (Seanad)

Barry Ward Senator (Seanad)