Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Apr 2001

Vol. 534 No. 2

Written Answers. - Prisoner Escapes.

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

119 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners that escaped from custody during the years 1998, 1999 and 2000; the breakdown of these by gender; the number still at large; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10259/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

There were no escapes from any of the closed prison institutions in the period specified, however, there were a number of incidents in which prisoners have escaped from custody while outside the secure confines of a closed prison. The figures are set are set out in the following table:

Year	Number of escapes from Prison Custody
1998	7
1999	14
2000	8

One of the escapes effected in the year 2000 was by a female offender.

To date, one of the prisoners who escaped in 1999 and one who escaped in 2000 remain at large.

It should also be noted that all of these escapes took place during prison escorts. It is the nature of such escorts that, despite the most stringent precautions, there will always be an element of risk associated with transporting prisoners outside the secure confines of a closed prison.

Following recent escapes, the Director General of the Prisons Service set up an expert review group to examine the circumstances of each escape and to review escorting procedures and the equipment used in such escorts. The areas examined include transport arrangements, staff training, the profiling of prisoners, searching procedures, the use of handcuffs and batons and the situation in relation to key holders. This group, whose members include the head of operations in the Irish Prisons Service and two senior prison governors, has completed the initial phase of its review and new guidelines will shortly issue to all prison governors. The review group will continue to examine other issues which require longer term actions which may involve other agencies, including the Courts Service and the Garda.