Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The question I wanted the Taoiseach to address was whether the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform sets the rules and regulations governing remission on behalf of the Government. The concern being expressed in public is that there is now an automatic remission of up to 25%.

In the case of Castlerea and the aforementioned prisoner, Mr. Justice Kinlen stated in his report that the IRA prisoner enclave within Castlerea was operating as a separate prison, whereas the prison's policy is to fully integrate prisoners within the complex. Would it not be in the interest of prisoners, in that they understand they have to earn remission, and victims, in that prisoners are seen to earn remission, to make the rules crystal clear? Given Mr. Justice Kinlen's report in respect of the prisoners in the Grove and his observation that the compound operates as a separate prison within a prison, can the Taoiseach clarify how the prisoner in question has earned his remission from 11 to eight years?

When the crime went to trial, the judge said he had never before seen such gross intimidation of witnesses in a case and, as it was not possible to try the accused on a capital murder charge, they had to be tried for manslaughter. Can the Taoiseach clarify how the prisoner has earned his remission in view of Mr. Justice Kinlen's report?

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