Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Feb 2000

Vol. 514 No. 1

Written Answers. - Prisoner Release.

Seán Haughey

Question:

208 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason a prisoner (details supplied) in Mountjoy jail who was scheduled to be released on 2 February 2000 was not released; the reason he was only told that day that he was not being released; if this was due to a computer error; if his attention has been drawn to the devastating effect this development had on the prisoner and his family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3617/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I am advised by the Director General of the Prisons Service that the person referred to by the Deputy was committed to Mountjoy Prison on 22 October 1999 to serve sentences for various offences of ten months, six months and three months, the sentences to run concurrently. Allowing for standard remission – one quarter of his sentence – he was due for release on 8 March 2000.

Regrettably, due to an administrative error, the prisoner was initially informed by the prison authorities that his release date was 2 February 2000. This misunderstanding arose because the wrong release date had been entered on his computer record. As soon as the problem came to light the prisoner was informed by prison staff that his release date was 8 March 2000. He was, as it happened, considered for temporary release on 2 February 2000 and was refused. His case was further reviewed on 3 February 2000 and he was granted full temporary release at that stage.

I am informed that errors of this nature, regrettable though they are, occur very rarely. They must be put in the context of more than 11,000 committals annually. However, because of the upset and disappointment caused to the prisoner and his family in this case, I have asked that the procedures in the prison be examined to avoid a reoccurrence.

Work on a new £6 million information technology programme for the Prisons Service is well advanced. As part of the programme a comprehensive prisoner records database will be deployed across the prison service later this year. I am informed that the new prisoner record database will include enhanced verification procedures which should serve to reduce the possibility of a recurrence of this type of error.