asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement on the case of a prisoner serving a life sentence in Mountjoy who failed to answer his parole on the 13th January, 1974; and if he will state the conditions for parole generally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prison Parole Conditions.
3.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the prisoner was taken back into custody on 8th February. As I said in the public statement issued on 18th January, the granting of parole on a gradually increasing basis is part of the process of rehabilitation of long-term prisoners but the parole of a prisoner who has been convicted of murder or any other crime of serious violence is authorised only where, among other things, it is supported by psychiatric advice, as it was in the case in question.
As regards the conditions for parole generally I would refer the Deputy to the reply I gave on 5th July, 1973, to the question on this subject put down by Deputy O'Malley.
Two statements were issued subsequent to the non-appearance of this prisoner from parole. One statement was issued by the Garda stating that he was a dangerous individual and the other statement was from the Department of Justice and implied that he was of a harmless nature. Can the Minister explain the conflict between the two statements?
The first query was made to the Garda who as a matter of prudence indicated that a person who had been convicted of murder and had broken parole, prima facie, without knowing the full facts behind the case, could be classified possibly as dangerous. A fuller statement was issued by me subsequently which clarified the matter.