Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if there was any communication between her or her Department and the Prison Service in respect of the detention of a person (details supplied); the nature of this communication; if it resulted in a decision to recall the person to prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27956/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to discuss the private medical details in the case of any prisoner. I consider that this would constitute an unacceptable intrusion on a prisoner’s right to privacy.

The person to whom the Deputy refers is serving a sentence in Portlaoise Prison for very serious offences. The question of a temporary release for him or, indeed, for any other prisoner in such circumstances would only arise if there was information available to me from the Irish Prison Service that such a release was necessary on medical grounds. It is a matter for the Irish Prison Service to make any such recommendation to me on the basis of the available medical evidence.

There is, of course, regular communication between the Irish Prison Service and my Department on a wide range of matters affecting prisoners, including the case referred to by the Deputy. However, there is no basis to suggestions that I intervened to ensure the return to prison from temporary release of the person in question. He is liable to serve his sentence in prison unless there are grounds which necessitate otherwise.