A Kerry TD has urged the government to put serious investment and support into restorative justice.
Restorative justice enables victims of crime to communicate with an offender or alleged offender, through a third party, to address and repair the harm done by the crime through dialogue.
Restorative Justice began in its current form in Ireland in 2009, when the National Commission on Restorative Justice expressed the view in a report to the Minister for Justice and Equality that victims, offenders, their families and their communities could all benefit from a restorative approach to criminal behaviour.
Research by Dr Ian Marder from Maynooth University shows restorative justice was referred in just 1% of criminal cases in 2019, and referral figures for 2023 remain at this low level.
Sinn Féin’s justice spokesperson and Kerry TD Pa Daly, says the government should engage with his party’s proposals, which would promote the use of restorative justice by giving a clearer legislative framework.
Deputy Daly moved the Criminal Justice (Promotion of Restorative Justice) (Amendment) Bill 2023, along with Sinn Féin colleagues and with the help of Dr. Marder, which aimed to provide this framework to promote restorative justice.
Deputy Daly says with prison overcrowding a concern, the high victim satisfaction from restorative justice initiatives should influence the need for serious investment and support.
