Ceist:
97 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons per month on temporary release from each of the years from 1995 to the latest date in 1997 that data is available. [22525/97]
Written Answers. - Temporary Release of Prisoners.
Prisoners are granted temporary release for a variety of reasons ranging from a few hours to attend a funeral to full temporary release which is, in effect, our system of parole. Accordingly the number of offenders on temporary release changes from day to day and statistics are not maintained in a fashion which would allow the number of persons on temporary release per month to be readily extracted. In 1994, the latest year for which accurate figures are available, the number of full or renewable temporary releases granted was 6,922. This figure does not include short fixed periods of temporary release granted in that year. Figures for 1995, 1996 and 1997 have not yet been collated but I will, of course, be happy to let the Deputy have them as soon as they become available.