Vol. 569 No. 3
368 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a person (details supplied) will be considered for a transfer to a prison nearer home, in view of the fact that their father suffers from very poor health and is unable to travel to visit them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17412/03]
I am informed by the Director General of the Prison Service that the person referred to was committed to Mountjoy Prison on 11 June, 2003 on foot of warrants issued at Carlow District Court on that date. He is serving a 24 month sentence for four counts of assault and is due for release on 9 December 2004. He was subsequently transferred to Cork Prison on 13 June 2003.
It is not normal practice to consider applications for prison transfers unless the person involved has made a similar application himself through the normal prison channels. My understanding is that the person referred to has made no such application and I am not therefore in a position to give consideration to such a move. If he was to make such an application in the future it would receive careful consideration.
