asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of escapes by prisoners in this country since 1 January 1981; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - Prisoner Escapes.
9.
There have been two escapes from prisons and 21 abscondings by offenders who were in custody outside prison walls or who were being accommodated in open centres.
One of the escapes was from Mountjoy Prison. The escape took place in the early hours of the morning when a prisoner apparently removed a panel from his cell door and escaped through a window on one of the landings. This prisoner is still at large. The second escape was from Cork Prison after the offender removed a cell window and a window bar. He has since been recaptured.
Of the abscondings, one was from a hospital, one was from the staff quarters attached to Arbour Hill Prison, three were from the open centre at Shelton Abbey and 16 were from the open centre at Shanganagh Castle. Of those who absconded, 17 have been recaptured.
None of those who escaped or absconded was considered to be dangerous.
The two escapes from custody have been investigated and steps taken to remedy some deficiencies which were brought to light. It seems inevitable that there will be occasional escapes from prison and the objective must be to keep them to the minimum consistent with the maintenance of as unrestrictive a regime as possible within the prisons.
The number of abscondings from open centres has been exceptionally high since the beginning of the year. At this stage I do not propose to make any changes but the matter will be kept under review.
Would the Minister accept that in the old days, at least in the pre-present administration days, it was accepted in all such cases that the assistance of the public was useful in regard to obtaining information about escaped prisoners that might lead to their recapture? That was the origin of the whole hue and cry. Would the Minister explain why there was no announcement in regard to the cases he has mentioned? Why was there no attempt either to warn the public or to get assistance from the public towards the recapturing of the escapes? Why was there what amounted to a cover-up?
The Deputy referred to the old days. Perhaps he is thinking of the days when helicopters flew into prison yards for the purpose of assisting prisoners to escape or perhaps he is talking about the days when prisoners blew their way out of prison through walls or doors. I have said in my reply that none of those who escaped during the period in question was considered to be dangerous. There was no question of a hue and cry. It is normal that the security forces are alerted in such incidents. If the Deputy is in the panic-creating business I wish him well, but I do not think he will succeed.
Would the Minister explain why, unlike previous times, the public were not told of these escapes and why their assistance was not sought in helping in the work of recapture?
Perhaps because of the Deputy's sojourn in the area of foreign affairs, he is not aware that there has been no change whatever in the practice that exists now in regard to this matter from that which existed when his party were in Government.
The fact remains that the public were not made aware of these escapes.