REVISED BAIL TERMS IN PLACE BY START OF NEXT YEAR

SUSPECTED property thieves could be locked up, pending trial, under the
bail restrictions which Justice Minister John O'Donoghue will introduce in
January.

Promising to implement next January the changes effected by the bail
referendum, Minister O'Donoghue said the restrictions on bail would be
applied to all serious crimes, including property violations.

"People in this country are tired of having to suffer the loss of their
property. They want it dealt with and I intend to deal with it," Minister
O'Donoghue said.

"There were almost 7,000 indictable crimes committed in 1996 and the
majority of those were crimes against property.

"I regard these are serious crimes."

The Minister also intends placing strict restrictions on those granted
bail, with all money being forfeited on breach of any of the terms of bail.

"At least one third of the bail money has to be put up and we will provide
for strict conditions on bail.

"If they are breached the bail will be forfeited. Prior to this, bail was
only forfeited if the accused failed to turn up for trial," Minister
O'Donoghue told RTE's This Week programme.

"I am satisfied on the advice available to me that I will be in a position
to implement the bail referendum upon the opening of Clover Hill."

The Minister denied that all 400 places at Clover Hill would be taken up by
transfers from Mountjoy. He said it was a priority to reduce overcrowding
at Mountjoy and stop the revolving door system, which sees 30 prisoners
released everyday because of a lack of prison space.

However, there would be sufficient space for those remanded in custody
under the new bail restrictions.

Meanwhile, the Minister expressed his personal condolences to the family of
a Dublin prisoner who died in a cell fire at Castlerea Prison, County
Roscommon, last week. The sprinkler system was not operational in the
prison at the time because there was a danger of suicidal prisoners using
hooks on the system to kill themselves.

The Minister admitted this was a source of concern to him. "I am deeply
disappointed at this turn of events. I am looking at the situation. Of
course I am dissatisfied with the position but I will be looking at how we
can prevent a recurrence of those events," Minister O'Donoghue said.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan