Confusingly compliant with the ECHR: The Release of Life Sentence Prisoners in Ireland

The release of life sentence prisoners has been criticised for its discretionary and political nature and the failure to afford basic procedural rights to prisoners seeking early release. The process, which has not changed for many years, contrasts with parole decision-making in many European jurisdictions, which has been the subject of intense scrutiny accompanied by reforms that often focused on depoliticising and formalising the making of release decisions. Such reforms have been adopted as a result of domestic pressures as well as the influence of the supranational institutions of Europe. For example, the parole process in the UK has been transformed following ECtHR rulings, with decision-making becoming increasingly independent and judicial, resulting in a range of legal rights accruing to those affected by it.