Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the total prison population; the number of prisoners on temporary release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42812/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the total number of prisoners in custody on 15 November 2010 was 4,416. The number of prisoners on temporary release for that day was 660.

The Deputy will appreciate the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts. There has been a consistent increase in the total prisoner population over recent years. This situation is particularly apparent over the past 12 months during which time the total number in custody has increased by 435. This represents an 11 % rise in the number in custody.

Temporary release arrangements can operate similarly to a system of parole, which is a feature of prison system worldwide. They are an important vehicle for reintegrating an offender back into the community in a planned way. The generally accepted view is that the risk to the community is reduced by planned re-integration of offenders compared with their return to the community on completion of their full sentence. The Irish Prison Service has also judiciously used temporary release as a means of reducing numbers in times of serious overcrowding.

Each case is examined on its own merits and the safety of the public is paramount when decisions are made. In addition, all releases are subject to conditions, which in the vast majority of cases include a requirement to report on a regular basis to the offender's Garda Station. Of course, any offender who breaches his or her conditions may be arrested and returned to prison immediately by the Garda.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the number of complaints and reports relating to rodents, insects and other pests in all prisons here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42813/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that the number of complaints and reports relating to rodents, insects and other pests received are set out in the following table:

I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that service contracts for pest control are in place in all prisons. The terms of these contracts are that all prisons are visited on eight occasions during the year and bait boxes are inspected and replenished. These regular service visits take place without fail.

Should any report of sightings of rodents, insects or other pests be made by staff or prisoners the contractors are called in immediately outside of the normal contract visits. A report is signed off by the engineer indicating where additional bait boxes are laid, together with a suggestion of a return visit date.