Plan for minor criminals to be given ‘clean slate’

SOME convicted criminals may soon be able to effectively “wipe” their record clean if the Government accepts the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission (LRC).

In a new report to be published later today by Mr Justice Kevin Haugh, chairman of the Garda Ombudsman Commission, the LRC proposes the introduction of legislation to allow for people to have their criminal record for minor offences “expunged” in limited circumstances.

However, the LRC stresses that it is not recommending that offenders be given “a clean slate” as it is not proposing to wipe away all old criminal convictions.