asked the Minister for Justice when a person (details supplied) who is serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison will be given a release date.
Written Answers. - Release Date for Prisoner.
18.
The setting of a release date for any offender falls to be determined by reference to the criteria which were outlined in reply to question No. 79 of 25 January 1989. Factors such as the circumstances of the offence, length of sentence served, behaviour while in custody and the previous record of the offender are taken into account. An overriding concern in assessing cases for release is, of course, the risk which such a release would pose to the community. No release date has been set in the case of the offender referred to by the Deputy and I am not in a position at this stage to indicate when a release date will be set.
I can say, however, that in recent months I have received a number of representations about the cases of offenders serving life sentences, including the case of the offender referred to by the Deputy, and I am at present examining the procedures for the reviews of such cases.