Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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952. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the rules governing the transfer of a prisoner to an open prison; and the percentage of a sentence a prisoner must serve before becoming eligible for transfer to an open prison. [22138/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will wish to be aware that a full range of factors are considered when assessing a prisoner’s suitability for transfer to an Open Centre and that these factors are clearly outlined in the Irish Prison Service Open Centre Policy.

I understand that a copy of the policy document is available on the website of the Irish Prison Service.

The aim of this policy document is to set out the Irish Prison Service policy on the use of Open Centres for the purpose of sentence management of prisoners.

The purpose of the policy is to provide clarity in relation to the criteria for use when deciding on applications for transfer to open centres and applications for temporary release when a prisoner has transferred.

While there is no set criteria that a certain percentage of a sentence served must be reached prior to a prisoner’s transfer, I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that all such considerations for transfer are based on the facts of the individual case to be considered and include factors such as nature of offence, length of sentence, length of sentence remaining etc.