Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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111. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of life sentence prisoners committed to prison in 2016; the number of prisoners released from prison; the number recalled to prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2861/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that a total of 16 life sentenced prisoners were committed to prison in 2016. I am also informed that a total of 7 life sentence prisoners were released into the community in 2016 and 4 life sentenced prisoners were recalled to prison in 2016.

Life sentenced prisoners who are released into the community continue to serve their sentences are subject to a number of stringent conditions. While in the community, a life sentenced prisoner will be on reviewable temporary release under the supervision of the Probation Service. Reviewable temporary release is where a prisoner is granted a specific period of temporary release from prison. This can be at varying intervals, for example, weekly, monthly or annually. The period of release is reviewed when the prisoner returns to prison and a decision is made whether to refuse or grant a further period of reviewable temporary release.

The Probation Service provide progress reports to the Irish Prison Service outlining resettlement and reintegration progress and will report on any risk management concerns a Life Sentenced prisoner may present. Where it is reported to the Irish Prison Service that the prisoner in the community is failing to abide by the conditions of their release, that person may be refused a further period of temporary release and be taken back into custody.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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112. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the average length of time life sentence prisoners served in prison prior to their release in 2016; the total number of life sentence prisoners in custody; the total number of life sentence prisoners on release in the community at the end of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2862/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that a total of 7 life sentenced prisoners were released into the community in 2016. The average length of sentence served in custody by these seven prisoners prior to release was approximately 22 years.

On 31 December 2016 there were 352 prisoners in custody serving life sentences. There were a further 83 prisoners serving life sentences in the community on reviewable temporary release under the supervision of the Probation Service.

Life sentenced prisoners who are released into the community continue to serve their sentences and are subject to a number of stringent conditions. While in the community, a life sentenced prisoner will be on reviewable temporary release under the supervision of the Probation Service.