JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan secured government approval for a disregard scheme to be set up for certain historical convictions relating to consensual same-sex activity. 

The measure, which is included in the programme for government, has been promised for some time now following extensive campaigning from the LQBTQ+ community. 

Speaking to reporters today outside Government Buildings, the minister said the process to get a conviction disregarded will operate as an application-based scheme.

“The Victorian-era laws that criminalised consensual sexual activity between men are now rightly recognised as a historical injustice,” he said. 

He added: “I am extremely pleased that the Government has agreed to my proposals for a statutory disregard scheme which seeks to acknowledge this injustice and to address meaningfully some of the harm caused to affected gay men, as well as their families and friends, during the period of criminalisation.”

The new scheme applies in respect of men who are convicted of historic homosexual offences prior to 1993 and the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland.

Under this scheme, the minister will appoint an independent reviewer, and individuals, who have been convicted of these offences will be able to apply to the independent reviewer to have their convictions disregarded .

The minister said he is conscious that many of the men who were convicted are now deceased, so the disregard scheme will also allow for their families to apply.

“It will go down to the generation of grand nieces or grand nephews. I believe it’s a fair scheme, and it takes into account the historic injustice that was done to many men in Ireland since 1922,” said the minister.