Information for victims

If you have been a victim of a serious crime and as a result of that crime a person is serving a life sentence, you have a right to a voice in the parole process.

Complete the form below to register with us. We will contact you to ask if you wish to make a submission and guide you through the process.

It is possible to make a submission in person or in writing. We will do our best to facilitate this at a time and place that suits you, and in a format that suits you.

You can avail of free legal representation to assist with this.

It is important to note that victim submissions are included in the information provided to the parole applicant as part of their parole review.

If the person serving the sentence has not yet applied for parole or has not yet served the minimum time that allows them to apply, you can still register and we will contact you if and when they apply.

To register, please print and complete the Victim Registration Form below, along with proof of identity, and your relationship to the case in question.

We can post you out a copy of the form if required.

You can email the form to us at vlo@paroleboard.gov.ie or post it to us at Suite 401, The Capel Building, Mary’s Abbey, Dublin 7, D07 N4C6.

If you have any questions you can call us at 003531 474 8770 or 00353 1474 8767.

The Parole Act 2019 defines a “victim” as:

1. A person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss, which was directly caused by a criminal offence for which the prisoner is serving a term of life imprisonment;

2. The family members of a person whose death was directly caused by a criminal offence and who have suffered harm including physical, mental, or emotional harm, or economic loss as a direct result of that crime.

You are considered a family member if you are:

• a spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant of the victim
• a child or step-child of the victim
• a parent or grandparent of the victim
• a brother, sister, half brother or half sister of the victim
• a grandchild of the victim
• an aunt, uncle, nephew, or niece of the victim
• any other person who was dependent on the victim.
• a sufficiently close connection to warrant being treated as a family member by the Board.

In cases where more than one family member wants to make a submission, we may ask that you nominate one family member to make a submission to the Board.

If the family cannot agree on who will make a submission, we may nominate more than one family member.

A family member will not be entitled to the rights provided to victims by the Act if they have been charged with or are under investigation for the death of the victim.

Parole involves release from prison under certain conditions.

If granted parole, the person must follow all the conditions of their parole order. They are still serving a life sentence, but in the community. The person may be returned to prison if they re-offend or break any of the conditions of the parole order.

Registered victims will be notified of a parole application by the Parole Board. We will invite you to engage in the parole process.

We will also provide you with information on the legal aid service available to assist you in the parole process. Legal assistance will be provided free of charge.

You can also choose to use your own legal representative. If you choose this option, your legal representative will receive the set rate under the Parole Board Legal Aid scheme.

The Parole Board has a Legal Aid Scheme in place and can arrange for legal assistance for registered victims free of charge, even if you have financial resources to pay for it. We will arrange this for you before you make your submission.

You can also choose to use your own legal representative. If you choose this option, your legal representative will receive the set rate under the Parole Board Legal Aid scheme. We will try to make sure that you get the same legal representative for every meeting, unless you ask us to assign a different one.

If you wish, your legal representative can accompany you to your meeting with the Board.

How a legal representative can help you

The legal representative will work with you to:

• outline the function of the Parole Board
• explain the Board’s parole decision to you

They will also:

• agree the format of your submission
• present reports about the parole application to the Board on your behalf
• submit written information to the Board on your behalf
• support you at your meeting with the Board

You do not have to make a submission to the Board, but they help the Board to gain a sense of how the crime has affected you.

It is important to note that victim submissions will be made available to the parole applicant except in very exceptional circumstances.

It is also important to note that you can only make a submission once an application for parole has been received. We cannot accept submissions before an application for parole has been made.

You can re-submit your previous submissions to the Board for any subsequent parole applications, or you can choose to make a new submission.

If you decide to make a submission in person, we will do our best to facilitate that meeting at a time and place that suits you, and in a format that suits you.

You can avail of free legal representation to assist with this.

It is important to note that victim submissions are included in the information provided to the parole applicant as part of their parole review.

When making a submission in person you and/or your legal representative will meet with members of the Parole Board (at least 2 members). We know that this process may be the cause of distress to you and we will do everything we can to ensure you are as comfortable as possible in making your submissions.

We ask you to prepare for this process and to think about what you wish to say to the Board. You may wish to discuss your submission with your legal representative. To help you in making your submission to the Board, you could consider the use of a pre-prepared statement which covers everything you wish to bring to the attention of the Board.

A member of the Board’s Secretariat will also attend the meeting to take notes and/or a further supplementary statement.

You may be notified of the decision made by the Board if you have engaged in the process or have asked to be informed of the outcome.

Support Services for Victims can be found on the link below.

Support Services for Victims