asked the Minister for Justice if he will indicate the basis on which persons convicted before the Special Criminal Court on charges connected with membership of an unlawful organisation are required to serve their sentences under different standards of prison treatment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prison Treatment of Convicted Persons.
The place of detention of prisoners sentenced by the Special Criminal Court is determined by the Minister for Justice in pursuance of the powers conferred on him by sub-section (3) of Section 50 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939. Owing to the number of prisoners of the class referred to sentenced to long terms of imprisonment and the difficulties in providing for their safe custody, it was decided that, in general, they should be sent to detention barracks under military control. In a certain number of cases, however, such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping with great violence and threats of murder, armed robbery, or treachery by State servants, it was decided that the convicted prisoners should serve their sentences under the same conditions as applied to prisoners sentenced by the ordinary criminal courts for similar serious offences.