Noel Davern
Question:163 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Justice the length of time a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary served in prison after being sentenced at Clonmel District Court on Tuesday, 26 November 1996. [23697/96]
Written Answers. - Prison Sentences.
Noel Davern
Question:164 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Justice the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary served only one night in prison in view of the fact that he was sentenced to serve two months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23698/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.
The person referred to by the Deputy was convicted of common assault and sentenced to two months imprisonment at Clonmel District Court on 26 November 1996. He was, on the same day, committed to Limerick Prison. On the following day he was granted a period of temporary release. It is longstanding practice not to comment on individual prisoner's cases or on the reasons for particular decisions. I wish to say however, that the decision to grant this offender temporary release was made having regard to a range of considerations which are applied in all such cases. These include the nature of the offence and the potential risk to the public. While pressure on accommodation is a factor in many temporary releases I wish to emphasise that there are often compelling reasons for the release of particular offenders even at which might appear to be a relatively early stage of a sentence.