Parliamentary Question: Temporary Release of Prisoners

27th April 2004

724. Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a person (details supplied) who is in their eleventh year of imprisonment for murder, and persons in this category, have their applications for temporary release, such as at Christmas time, independently evaluated; and if the same independent evaluation applies to all persons who have been sentenced for serious crime. [11570/04]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell):  It is not immediately clear to me what the Deputy means by "independently evaluated". As he may be aware, persons serving life sentences for murder may have their cases reviewed by the Interim Parole Board after they have served seven years in custody. The board was established in April 2001 to advise the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the administration of long-term prison sentences and replaces the work previously carried out by the sentence review group. The board, by way of recommendation to the Minister, advises of the prisoner's progress to date, the degree to which he or she has engaged with the various therapeutic services and how best to proceed with the future administration of this sentence. I consider in full all recommendations put before me by the Interim Parole Board before making the final decision regarding sentence management.

Individual requests for temporary release are made by prisoners from time to time for various reasons, such as Christmas, and these are considered on their merits as they arise. These requests are not referred to the Interim Parole Board. However, decisions on such individual requests will be consistent with the overall strategy for the management of the prisoner's sentence.

The case of the prisoner referred to by the Deputy, was last reviewed by the interim board in June 2003 and is due to be considered again in mid-2006. In the case referred to, bearing in mind the seriousness and circumstances of the crime, I have not been prepared to sanction any periods of temporary release to date.