Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2019
251. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of prisoners detained solely on remand in each prison; the breakdown of offences with which they are charged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52609/19]
View answer252. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons on remand in prison; the length of time they have been on remand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52610/19]
View answer253. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners held on remand since January 2019 by month; the percentage of prisoners held on remand who are eventually sentenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52611/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 251 to 253, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the courts into custody and does not have the option to refuse to take prisoners into custody whether sentenced, on remand or awaiting trial.
Figures as requested for the percentage of prisoners detained solely on remand in each prison, the breakdown of offences with which they are charged and the number of prisoners held on remand since January 2019 are contained in the tables attached, as conveyed to me by the Irish Prison Service. I am informed that the figures provided for prisoners held on remand since January 2019 are a monthly average.
I am informed that the number of prisoners held solely on remand in prison as of 16 December 2019 is 729. I am informed that there are no prisoners held solely on remand in Loughan House or in Shelton Abbey.
I am further advised by the Irish Prison Service that the percentage of prisoners held on remand who are eventually sentenced and the length of time they have been on remand cannot be provided at this time. I understand that collating this data would require a manual examination of a large number of individual prisoner records. I am advised that such an examination would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort, which could not be justified where there are other significant demands on resources.
