Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 1

Written Answers - Prisoner Statistics.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

152 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish people detained in prisons in other jurisdictions; the countries in which these people are detained; the percentage of these people who were convicted of a crime; the bilateral agreements which exist between each of those countries and Ireland in relation to human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11561/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

My Department is aware of approximately 905 Irish citizens who are currently detained in prisons in other jurisdictions. A breakdown of this figure on the basis of country of detention is as follows:

Country of detention	Number detained
Australia	3
Brazil	1
Canada	3
Cuba	1
Egypt	1
France	9
Germany	5
UK	800
Greece	3
Japan	1
Netherlands	18
Peru	1
Spain	13
Sweden	7
Thailand	4
USA	35
Total	905

It is our understanding that the vast majority of those detained have been convicted of a crime. My Department offers appropriate consular assistance to all Irish citizens whether convicted or detained awaiting trial. Ireland does not have a practice of entering into bilateral human rights agreements with other countries. Rather we avail of existing international human rights instruments such as the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons to which Ireland and 47 other states are party. The convention provides procedures for the transfer of prisoners to serve their sentence in their home country. In addition, the majority of countries in which Irish citizens are detained are party to a number of key international human rights instruments which require states to comply with certain minimum human rights standards. These include the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10(1) of which states, "All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person."