Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 3

Written Answers. - Prisoner Release Statistics.

Michael Bell

Question:

48 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline according to place of custody for each of the years (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 the number of prisoners which were given premature release due to a lack of accommodation.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

I should like, first, to make the point that, with rare exceptions, releases before the expiry dates of sentences are by way of temporary release under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act, 1960. Such releases are always subject to conditions.

Temporary release may be granted for a variety of reasons. It may be granted on compassionate grounds, for example, at Christmas and for family occasions. It may also be granted for resocialisation purposes or to enable a prisoner to take up employment or to attend an educational or training course and so on. From time to time the pressure on prison accommodation is such as to require recourse to temporary release but statistical information is not kept in such a form as to facilitate identification of cases where this was a factor.

All decisions to grant temporary release are made with due regard to the length of sentence, the nature of the offence, the length of time served, behaviour while in custody and the safety of the public. Temporary releases are conditional on good behaviour and may be subject to conditions related to supervision by the probation and welfare service or reporting to the Garda Síochána.

The total number of persons granted periods of temporary release was in the region of 4,000 for each of the years 1988 to 1990.

Finally, I should like to assure the Deputy that there are no circumstances in which pressure on accommodation will be allowed to affect the ability of the prisons to retain in custody persons convicted of serious offences who could, if released, be a danger to the community.