Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

309. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the criteria used to determine whether to grant an application from a prisoner to transfer to a different prison; if there are different procedures for different categories of prisoners, different stages of their sentences and different prisons; if agreement on a Ministerial, governor's or head of the Prison Service basis is required; the number of such requests referred to the Minister each year; and the number granted and refused respectively. [9408/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that prisoner transfers are carried out for a number of reasons but in general they fall into two categories, i.e. those carried out for operational reasons and those effected at the request of a prisoner.

Transfers for operational reasons may be necessary for a variety of reasons including overcrowding, the need to protect a prisoner from other prisoners or to reallocate cell space to another prisoner or group of prisoners. Other common reasons for prisoner transfers include court appearances, to participate in a particular training or educational course or to assist in reintegration. Recommendations are also made to me in relation to the transfer of long term sentenced prisoners by the Parole Board.

When making decisions in relation to the transfer of prisoners for the two categories listed above, a range of factors are taken into consideration including:

- The safety and best interests of the prisoner

- The nature and gravity of the offence

- Length of sentence served to date

- Length of sentence left to serve

- Behaviour in prison

- Prisoner’s medical needs

- Previous criminal record

- The views of local management and services

- The capacity of a receiving prison to accommodate a given prisoner

My statutory powers in relation to decision-making in respect of transfers have been delegated to a number of senior officials in the IPS. The consent of neither prison governors nor the Director General IPS is required.

All decision making staff are aware of the need to take appropriate account of all the criteria to be applied to decision making in a balanced and considered manner.

I am advised by the IPS that statistics are not kept concerning the category of transfer applications, however the figures for all prison transfer applications from 2016 to date are outlined in the table below.