Following their Summer General Meeting, Irish Bishops have urged Government to address the outstanding repatriation issue effecting Irish prisoners overseas.
During their meeting Bishops said, “The recent report from the Minister for Justice and Equality regarding prisoner repatriation for 2020 reveals that for a fourth consecutive year no Irish prisoners were repatriated. This appears to contradict the Government’s stated policy that prisoners should be permitted to serve their sentences close to their families. Problems with the current legislation governing the repatriation of prisoners (Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts) were highlighted by a Supreme Court decision in 2016 and amendments are required in order to deal with these issues.
“In view of the significant impact that the lack of repatriation has on prisoners and their families – and the positive societal benefit that can result from repatriation in the context of more positive resettlement outcomes – bishops have urged Government to expedite this overdue but vitally important legislation in the interest of the common good.”
ENDS
