Vol. 512 No. 6
366 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has been transferred to Cork prison without any notice to his family who are unable to visit him due to the distance; when he will be released in view of the fact that he has not committed a criminal offence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27131/99]
The person referred to by the Deputy was transferred from Mountjoy Prison to Cork prison on 27 November 1999 for operational reasons. The need to transfer prisoners arises from time to time particularly in the light of overcrowding in the committal prisons. The person referred to has not objected to his detention in Cork and has not applied for a transfer back to the Dublin area.
As I have explained to the Deputy on two occasions in the past month, the person referred to was committed to Mountjoy Prison on 8 June, 1999 for driving related offences and is due for release with remission on 8 March, 2000. He was transferred to Shelton Abbey on 17 June 1999. I authorised weekly renewable temporary release from Shelton Abbey for this person on 26 July 1999. Arrangements were made for him to renew his temporary release by signing on weekly in Mountjoy Prison for his convenience. However, he failed to comply with this condition of his temporary release and accordingly went unlawfully at large. The Garda was informed and he was later arrested and returned to Mountjoy Prison.
In the circumstances, I am not prepared to authorise any further temporary release for this person at this time. However, his case will be kept under review.
