Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the length of sentence received by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 for serious drug offences; the length of sentence served to date in 2006; and the reason this person received temporary release over the past three weekends. [3465/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The person to whom the Deputy is referring was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, in the Dublin Circuit Court on 12 February 2004. The offence was possession of a controlled drug with a market value of €13,000 or more, for the purpose of selling or otherwise unlawfully supplying it to another. The court also ordered that he gain credit for 114 days already served and his remission date was calculated as 20 October 2006.

Following successful completion of the drug detoxification programme in Mountjoy Prison, this person was transferred to the training unit place of detention. In early January 2006, he was approved for an accompanied outing to visit his partner in hospital. This outing took place, without incident, on 7 January 2006. The prisoner was accompanied by one prison officer on this occasion. The prisoner subsequently made an application for compassionate temporary release on 11 January 2006 and the decision was made to grant him two separate short periods of day release for the same purpose. He was granted the first period of day release on 13 January 2006 and returned to custody as required. He was granted his second period of release on 20 January 2006 but he failed to return to custody at the appointed time and has been declared unlawfully at large. The Garda has been informed of his situation.