asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications for permission to marry received by his Department in each of the past five years from persons serving terms of imprisonment, distinguishing between (a) prisoners who wish to marry other prisoners, and (b) prisoners who wish to marry non-prisoners; the number of such applications granted, refused, or under consideration; the criteria adopted in reaching his decision; and if he will give permission for marriages of prisoners in all cases in which the applicant prisoner and his or her intended spouse are expecting or are the parents of a child.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prisoners' Marriage Requests.
9.
No special record of such applications is kept but it is known that they have been few in number. A check of records which may not be exhaustive has shown that persons serving sentences of imprisonment have married in four instances in the period in question. One such marriage took place in each of the years 1972, 1973, 1977 and 1978. The marriage in 1978 was between people each of whom was serving a sentence of imprisonment. In the other three cases, only the man was serving a sentence. The marriage in 1972 and 1978 took place within the prison; the others did not.
No specific rules have been established for dealing with applications by prisoners to be accorded facilities for marriage and I think that that is as it should be as each case is different and is considered individually having regard to the particular facts relating to it. The length of sentence is an important factor and the fact that a child had been born to the couple or was expected would be among the other factors taken into account.
Question No. 10 postoned.