Ms Ethel Gavin:

That was probably a poke-the-bear question for me. The Prison Service could be better at looking at lower risk offenders with higher sentences. I agree with Ms McCaffrey that it is not really practical to send someone with a sentence of less than 12 months to an open centre. Having said that, there are prisoners serving four years or less. The Deputy gave the example of dangerous driving causing death. The difficulty the Prison Service faces is that such cases are a real media catch. To take the case of a prisoner who has never committed a crime and is highly unlikely to ever commit another one, if it was a high-profile case in Kerry, Roscommon or wherever, then the first thing that arises is the victims, and rightly so. We have to acknowledge the victims but whether people are in an open centre or a prison, they are still in prison and their rights have been taken away. We need to better educate the public. There is a perception that being in an open centre is easier and of course it is slightly easier. However, that person still cannot go home or cook for himself or herself. There are many things that a person cannot do because he or she is still in a contained environment either way. We need to educate the public around the role of open centres and ensure, for example, that we do not keep someone with a dangerous driving causing death conviction in a closed prison for two years because we are afraid of what the media or a politician might say. I say that with no disrespect meant to those present.