asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline his response to reports that persons (details supplied) in Arbour Hill Prison, Dublin 7 are to be released on review of sentence; and if he will take into account the very great and legitimate fears and personal sensitivities of a great number of people in the west of Ireland concerning same.
Written Answers. - Release of Prisoners.
104.
I am not aware of such reports nor am I aware of any basis for them.
In so far as any reports or rumours may have been generated by the recent establishment of a sentence review group I would refer the Deputy to my statement in the Dáil on 1 December in which I explained that:
(1) The task of the group is purely advisory i.e. to advise the Minister for Justice on an on-going basis, concerning the discharge of his existing statutory powers in relation to the administration of prison sentences in individual cases. The review group would advise only in cases where offenders are serving long term sentences, including life sentences, but excluding sentences for capital murder.
(2) Decisions in all cases will continue to rest — as heretofore — with the Minister for Justice who will be obliged to take account of the views of the Garda Commissioner in each instance and the views of the trial judge.
(3) The advisory group will consider individual cases by reference to the very reasonable and long-established criteria which apply to the existing review procedure. Among those criteria are an assessment of whether a release would constitute a threat to the community and whether it would be reasonable to grant a release at a particular stage in view of the nature of the crime committed and the offender's previous criminal record.