Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said yesterday it wasn't realistic to suggest that judges should be able to censor what is in a victim impact statement, as this would put both the court and the victim in a very difficult position.
Mr Lenihan called for a "period of calm" after the public debate ignited by the comments by Mr Justice Paul Carney this week. He promised to reflect on the question of victim impact statements and said he would make his views known in a few months' time.
Mr Justice Carney said this week that any victim of crime who wilfully abused the victim impact procedure would be dealt with firmly by the courts.
Mr Lenihan said yesterday the matters raised by the judge were not a matter of "acute urgency". "I don't think it's a realistic proposal to suggest that judges should be able to censor what is in the victim impact statement," he said.
