Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 210: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners from each prison here who prior to their release date and taking into account normal remission, were let out on early release in 2006. [9683/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that the information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. The vast bulk of the individuals granted temporary release — 70% — had a month or less of their sentence remaining. In fact, 31% were released in the final week of their sentence.

I am advised that on the 16th March, 2007, there were 166 persons on temporary release, a figure that represents about 4.5% of the total prison population. This small number on temporary release is due in large measure to the expansion in our prison accommodation over the last number of years and stands in stark contrast to the unacceptable level of temporary release back in 1996, when on 9 December 1996 we had 552 persons on temporary release, about 20% of the prison population.

The overriding issue in considering any application for temporary release of a prisoner is the safety of the public. 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 his or her Garda Station. Of course, any offender who breaches his or her conditions may be arrested and returned to prison immediately by the Gardaí.

Temporary release arrangements operate similarly to a system of parole, which is a feature of prison systems worldwide. They are an important vehicle for re-integrating an offender into the community in a planned way. The generally accepted view is that the risk to the community would be reduced by planned re-integration of offenders compared with their return to the community on the completion of their full sentence. Each case is examined on its own merits and as already stated the safety of the public is paramount when decisions are made on temporary release applications.

Prisoners are considered for temporary release in various circumstances, for example, release under the direct supervision of the Probation Service; to employment or training programmes; on compassionate release because of ill health or family related circumstances; or for reintegration purposes because they are nearing the end of their sentence.