Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 October 2012
202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of requests for early, casual, day or other forms of release received by the prison authorities in each of the prisons throughout the country in each of the past two years to date in 2012; the number of such applications approved and or refused in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46805/12]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware from my reply to question No 315 for written answer on 8th May 2012 that the information requested by him regarding the number of temporary release applications by prisoners for early, casual, day or other forms of release prior to March 2012 has not been readily available and would require a manual examination of records. Such an examination would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort and can not be justified in current circumstances where there are other significant demands on resources.
However, I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service introduced a new Prisoner Information Management System (PIMS) on 03 March, 2012 and it is therefore possible to provide the information requested from 03 March, 2012 to date. This information is set out in the table attached. Any decisions which have been 'deferred' are awaiting further information to support the application. The figures regarding temporary release - AM/PM also include cases where they are accompanied by staff to appointments or are working on the grounds of a prison campus under supervision. It is not possible to breakdown this category into those under supervision and those out on temporary release unaccompanied.
The figures regarding temporary release - reviewable, include prisoners who have been granted reviewable temporary release and who return to the prison on a weekly basis for a new decision on a further week of temporary release. These would mostly account for the number of applications pending decision.
The Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 provides that sentenced prisoners may be approved temporary release whether it be for a few hours or a more extended period,. The Act sets out the circumstances when temporary release may be provided and what matters must be taken into account.
Candidates for temporary release are identified by a number of different means but primarily on the recommendation of the Prison Governor or the therapeutic services in the prisons. The prisoner, their family or their legal representative can also apply for consideration of such a concession. Recommendations are also made to me in relation to long term sentence prisoners by the Parole Board. It is very important to note that it does not necessarily follow that a prisoner will receive temporary release even if the recommendation is to that effect. Before a final determination a number of factors may be taken into account including:
the nature and gravity of the offence to which the sentence being served by the person relates
the sentence concerned and any recommendation made by the Court in relation to the sentence imposed
the period of the sentence served by the person
the potential threat to the safety and security of the public should the person be released
the person's previous criminal record
the risk of the person failing to return to prison at the expiration of the period of temporary release
the conduct of the person while in custody or while previously on temporary release
any report or recommendation made by the Governor, the Garda Síochána, a Probation & Welfare Officer, or any other person whom the Minister considers may be of assistance in coming to a decision as to whether to grant temporary release
the risk that the person might commit an offence during any period of temporary release
the risk of the person failing to comply with any of the conditions of temporary release
the likelihood that a period of temporary release might accelerate the person's reintegration into society or improve his prospects of obtaining employment.
Temporary release assists in gradually preparing suitable offenders for release and in administering short sentences, and is an incentive to prisoners. It is an important vehicle for re-integrating an offender into the community in a planned way. The generally accepted view is that the risk to the community is reduced by planned re-integration of offenders compared with their return to the community on the completion of their full sentence. Each application for temporary release for whatever reason, including those referred to in your question, is examined on its own merits and the safety of the public is paramount when decisions are made.
In addition, all releases are subject to conditions, which in the vast majority of cases include a requirement to report on a daily basis to the offender's Garda Station. Of course, any offender who breaches his or her conditions may be arrested and returned to prison immediately by the Gardaí or maybe refused another period of reviewable temporary release.
Temporary Release Application/Decisions by Establishment From 3rd March 2012 to 23rd October 2012 inclusive.
|
Establishment Name |
TR Type |
Total Applications |
Approved |
Rejected |
Deferred |
Pending Decision |
|
Arbour Hill Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
134 |
81 |
49 |
0 |
4 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
15 |
10 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
10 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
20 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
179 |
114 |
58 |
1 |
6 |
||
|
Castlerea Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
92 |
48 |
37 |
1 |
6 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
12 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
690 |
543 |
126 |
1 |
20 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
900 |
685 |
185 |
3 |
27 |
|
|
1,694 |
1,282 |
352 |
5 |
55 |
||
|
Cloverhill Remand Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
92 |
30 |
57 |
0 |
5 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
19 |
13 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
203 |
86 |
111 |
2 |
4 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
427 |
168 |
247 |
0 |
12 |
|
|
741 |
297 |
421 |
2 |
21 |
||
|
Cork Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
44 |
26 |
17 |
0 |
1 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
216 |
72 |
122 |
1 |
21 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
1,596 |
1,378 |
165 |
4 |
49 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
2,929 |
1,933 |
874 |
7 |
115 |
|
|
4,785 |
3,409 |
1,178 |
12 |
186 |
||
|
Limerick Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
58 |
41 |
15 |
0 |
2 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
124 |
67 |
41 |
2 |
14 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
1,564 |
1,422 |
114 |
0 |
28 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
3,079 |
2,376 |
586 |
7 |
110 |
|
|
4,825 |
3,906 |
756 |
9 |
154 |
||
|
Loughan House Place Of Detn. |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
831 |
743 |
74 |
0 |
14 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
1,140 |
734 |
385 |
5 |
16 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
167 |
125 |
37 |
1 |
4 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
729 |
556 |
135 |
6 |
32 |
|
|
2,867 |
2,158 |
631 |
12 |
66 |
||
|
Midlands Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
116 |
50 |
65 |
1 |
0 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
14 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
751 |
684 |
53 |
1 |
13 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
2,344 |
1,823 |
458 |
1 |
62 |
|
|
3,225 |
2,564 |
582 |
4 |
75 |
||
|
Establishment Name |
TR Type |
Total Applications |
Approved |
Rejected |
Deferred |
Pending Decision |
|
Mountjoy Prison ( Female) |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
233 |
157 |
68 |
1 |
7 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
57 |
41 |
13 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
663 |
625 |
34 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
2,340 |
1,882 |
402 |
2 |
54 |
|
|
3,293 |
2,705 |
517 |
3 |
68 |
||
|
Mountjoy Prison ( Male ) |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
789 |
209 |
559 |
4 |
17 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
76 |
41 |
34 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
1,324 |
1,142 |
134 |
2 |
46 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
6,386 |
4,971 |
1,217 |
4 |
194 |
|
|
8,575 |
6,363 |
1,944 |
10 |
258 |
||
|
Portlaoise Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
47 |
30 |
16 |
0 |
1 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
85 |
69 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
54 |
34 |
17 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
157 |
91 |
61 |
0 |
5 |
|
|
343 |
224 |
110 |
1 |
8 |
||
|
Shelton Abbey Place Of Detn. |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
1,008 |
889 |
100 |
1 |
18 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
861 |
517 |
319 |
0 |
25 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
34 |
19 |
14 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
439 |
388 |
31 |
2 |
18 |
|
|
2,342 |
1,813 |
464 |
3 |
62 |
||
|
St. Patricks Institution |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
30 |
11 |
17 |
1 |
1 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
11 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
217 |
166 |
37 |
2 |
12 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
772 |
519 |
233 |
5 |
15 |
|
|
1,030 |
699 |
295 |
8 |
28 |
||
|
Training Unit Place Of Detn. |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
1,293 |
1,014 |
257 |
3 |
19 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
402 |
293 |
100 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
49 |
39 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
1,109 |
1,007 |
42 |
0 |
60 |
|
|
2,853 |
2,353 |
408 |
4 |
88 |
||
|
Wheatfield Prison |
Temporary Release - AM-PM |
121 |
58 |
57 |
1 |
5 |
|
Temporary Release - Date-Date |
14 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Full TR |
1,010 |
861 |
126 |
0 |
23 |
|
|
Temporary Release - Reviewable |
2,089 |
1,574 |
455 |
2 |
58 |
|
|
3,234 |
2,501 |
644 |
3 |
86 |
||
|
Total |
39,986 |
30,388 |
8,360 |
77 |
1,161 |
