The Minister for Justice, Equality & Defence, Mr Alan Shatter TD, today 1st
February, 2013 announced the appointments of Mr Ray Kavanagh and Mr Mick
Duff to the Parole Board.
The Parole Board's principal function is to advise the Minister on the
administration of long term prison sentences in respect of prisoners who
are serving sentences greater than eight years. The Board, by way of
recommendation to the Minister, advises of the prisoner's progress to date,
the degree to which the prisoner has engaged with the various therapeutic
services and how best to proceed with the future administration of the
sentence. All recommendations are considered in full when making the final
decision on sentence management.
In making the announcement, Minister Shatter said "I am confident the new
Board members will bring their considerable skills and expertise to the
work of the Parole Board. Their presence on the Board will ensure that it
continues to operate effectively under the assured chairmanship of Mr John
Costello. I wish them well and I am sure their contribution will be
invaluable in encouraging all eligible prisoners to participate in the
parole process.
1 February, 2013
ENDS
Note for Editors
The Parole Board is an independent non-statutory body established by the
Government to advise the Minister for Justice and Equality on the
management of those serving long term prison sentences. It was established
on an administrative basis in April, 2001 replacing the then Sentence
Review Group.
Mr Ray Kavanagh
Ray Kavanagh is a retired national school teacher and serving Peace
Commissioner. He taught in an inner city DEIS school (St. Audoen’s N.S.
D8) until 2011. He is a former board member of the Board of Management of
Liberties College and served on the Council of Cert between 1984 and 1987.
He is author of “St. Audoen’s National School 1756 – 2006”.
Mr Mick Duff
Mick Duff is Director of the St. Aengus Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation
Project and former Chairperson of the Tallaght Drugs Task Force. He has
served a lifetime of community involvement and was the first community
representative to serve as Chairperson of TDTF (2002-2005). He is a former
Mayor of South Dublin and an active Peace Commissioner since 1988. He has
been especially involved with young people and is chairperson of Tallaght
Community School Board of Management.