Vol. 484 No. 4
117 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of hours the six men who were involved in a hostage taking incident at Mountjoy and who are currently being held in D Block, Portlaoise Prison are locked up for each day; the opportunities, if any, the prisoners have for education or other regime activities; the cost of accommodating them in this way and, in particular, the overtime costs, if any, involved. [22487/97]
The prisoners referred to are confined in their cells for a total of 16 hours each day which includes three periods during which they, as well as all other prisoners in closed prisons, are having their meals. Cells are unlocked at 8.15 a.m. at which time the prisoners may collect breakfast and return to their cells. They may exercise or use recreational facilities until 12.15 p.m. when they collect their dinner and return to their cells. They are confined in their cells until 2.15 p.m. from which time they may again make use of the recreational facilities until 4 p.m. Prisoners are locked in their cells for evening tea from 4 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. At 5.15 p.m. the prisoners are unlocked for the final exercise or recreation period of the day until 7.30 p.m. at which time they take their supper and are locked in their cells until the following morning. Access to education in a number of subjects is provided on a correspondence basis. Materials are supplied and assignments are set and corrected.
The average annual cost of keeping an offender in Portlaoise Prison is approximately £105,000. This figure takes into account approximately £4.8 million for overtime generally in the prison. The amount of this overtime attributable to the custody of the prisoners in question would vary from time to time.
