Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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72. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners awarded early release in the past six months, with particular reference to those with a history of recidivism; if they applied for release or were granted release as a matter of course; the number of such persons who were refused early release in the same period; the number of non-recidivists who were granted or refused early release in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31425/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a total of 5,629 prisoners were granted temporary release in the six month period April to September 2016. A significant number of these refer to persons imprisoned for very short periods for non-payment of fines, who were granted early release shortly thereafter. For the same period 1,056 prisoners were refused temporary release. The Irish Prison Service publishes figures in relation to the number of prisoners currently on temporary release on their website www.irishprisons.ie on a daily basis.

As advised to the Deputy on 26th April, 2016 in my written response, I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that they do not collate information in the format requested by the Deputy. However, the Irish Prison Service Recidivism study for 2009 shows that 2,304 persons out of a total of 7,509 that were released in that year went on to re-offend within the first 6 months of release. As well as offences committed after expiration of sentence,this figure also includes offences committed before their official release date and this would take account of crimes committed while on early release, day release, and compassionate release. It also includes offences committed while in custody such as assaults and possession of mobile phones.

These figures were produced in partnership with the Central Statistics Office using a combination of Garda Síochána and Irish Prison Service records, based on the Irish Crime Classification System (ICCS). The study, which was published in December 2015, looked at the available data up to the end of 2012 to take account of the time to make a conviction and a broader 3 year analysis of recidivism.