Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners on temporary release at the latest date for which figures are available; the highest number on temporary release on any date during 2009; the average number of prisoners on temporary release during 2009; the steps he is taking to deal with this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46174/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that on 7 December 2009 there were 747 prisoners on temporary release. This represented 15.5% of the overall prisoner population for that day. In contrast, the equivalent percentage of prisoners on temporary release for the years 1994 to 1997 was as follows: 1994 - 22.2%, 1995 - 20.2%, 1996 - 17.9% and 1997 - 19.2%.

The figure for 7 December represents the highest number of prisoners on temporary release this year. The daily average figure to date in 2009 for prisoners on temporary release is 519 and this represents 13% of the daily population figure.

The Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 provides that the Minister may approve the temporary release of a sentenced prisoner. This discretionary instrument assists in gradually preparing suitable offenders for release and in administering short sentences, and is an incentive to well-behaved prisoners.

Temporary release arrangements are an important mechanism for re-integrating an offender into the community in a planned way. The generally accepted view is that the risk to the community is reduced by planned gradual 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 the safety of the public is a paramount consideration when decisions are made. 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 the offender's Garda Station. Of course, any offender who breaches his or her conditions may be arrested and returned to prison immediately by the Gardaí.

As the Deputy will appreciate the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts into its custody and do not have the option of refusing committals. It is the case that there has been a consistent increase in the total prisoner population over recent years. This situation is particularly apparent over the past 12 months during which time the total number in custody has increased by 379. This represents a 10% rise in the number in custody.

The Irish Prison Service has been engaged in an extensive programme of investment in prisons infrastructure which has involved both the modernisation of the existing estate and the provision of extra prison spaces. Since 1997 in excess of 1,670 new prison spaces have come on stream in the prison system. These include the new prisons in Castlerea, the Midlands, Cloverhill, the Dóchas Centre and new accommodation in Limerick, Portlaoise and Castlerea prisons and at the open centres in Shelton Abbey and Loughan House.

Current projects will see a further 250 prison spaces provided in the short term by means of:

A new block in Wheatfield Prison which will accommodate approximately 200 prisoners.

The re-opening of the Separation Unit in Mountjoy which will provide an additional 50 spaces.

In addition, work is expected to commence in 2010 on a new accommodation block in the Portlaoise/Midlands prisons complex which will provide 300 prison spaces.

By contrast, when the Deputy's Party was last in power no prison places were constructed.

The additional prison spaces which these new developments will provide should assist the Irish Prison Service in reducing the rate of prisoners on temporary release in the future.

Question No. 56 answered with Question No. 42.