Written answers

Thursday, 17 April 2008

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Prisoner Releases

5:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 585: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners released prior to serving their full sentence in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14438/08]

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to instances of temporary release pursuant to Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1960 as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act, 2003. Periods of temporary release may be granted during a prisoner's sentence for health or other humanitarian grounds (e.g. a funeral), to assess a person's ability to reintegrate into society or to prepare a prisoner for release. 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. Any offender who breaches his or her conditions may be arrested and returned to prison immediately by the Gardaí.

A prisoner may receive multiple instances of temporary release while serving his or her sentence and most prisoners will receive a short period of temporary release at the end of their sentence to facilitate their reintegration into society. The compilation of statistics in the form requested by the Deputy would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and expense to prepare and could not be justified in the current circumstances where there are other significant demands on resources.

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