Vol. 488 No. 4
270 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department will consider the case being made by the family of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, who is serving a sentence in Wheatfield Prison and has asked to be transferred to Shelton Abbey, Wicklow, in view of the hardship being experienced by the family. [6387/98]
I am aware of the person to whom the Deputy refers but it is long standing practice not to comment in detail on the case of an individual prisoner and I do not propose to make an exception to that practice in this instance. I can, however, advise the Deputy that each application by an offender for transfer to an open centre is given due consideration, having regard to a number of factors, including, the personal circumstances of the offender, the nature of the offence committed, behaviour while in custody and the amount of sentence served.
