Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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255. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of requests made by the Prison Service for an armed garda escort for prison transfers in 2017; the number of those requests that were refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2846/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) made 740 requests for an armed garda escort to facilitate high security prison transfers in 2017. Of this total 289 requests were refused and 434 requests were approved. The remaining 17 applications were cancelled for various reasons.

Prison Management make a request for an armed escort based on a risk assessment of a prisoner due to be escorted outside the prison. Armed garda escorts are requested for prisoners who are deemed to warrant such an escort.

Finally I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that An Garda Síochána has full discretion on whether or not to provide an armed escort to individual prisoners.