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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Apr 1996

Vol. 463 No. 6

Written Answers. - Release of Terminally Ill Prisoners.

Seán Doherty

Question:

75 Mr. Doherty asked the Minister for Justice her policy regarding the release or treatment of terminally ill prisoners. [7036/96]

All offenders in custody within the prison system have full access to a wide range of medical facilities — including if necessary, hospitalisation. No person in custody whose condition requires hospitalisation is prevented from receiving it.

If deemed necessary, provision exists for an offender to be medically examined to determine if she/he is fit to continue to serve a prison sentence in accordance with Rule 178 (6) of the Rules for the Government of Prisons, 1947. If medical opinion is that an offender is unfit for prison discipline, then this is brought to my attention and I examine the case on its own particular and individual merits. My policy is to attempt to strike the right balance between the need, on the one hand, to give due weight to the humanitarian considerations arising, which would obviously vary depending, for example, on the medical advice concerning the prisoner's life expectancy and on the other, the potential risk to the community which would vary from case to case.
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