As many as 5% of the prison population of Ireland will be released on short-term leave over Christmas to spend time with their families, many returning after the Christmas period to complete their sentences.
Reporting for Today with Sean O’Rourke, Paddy O’Gorman met several people on the way out through the gates of Mountjoy prison in Dublin, looking forward to rejoining their families for some festive freedom.
Among them were two men from County Louth, one on release until January, one having completed his sentence. And the relief of leaving the institution behind was clear to hear.
“That there is one of the hardest jails in Dublin. Mountjoy is just crazy. All them Dublin boys in there, and they’re all off their heads on tablets and drugs and all sorts.”
Mountjoy prison certainly toughens you up, according to the prisoners Paddy spoke to. If you allow yourself to be bullied, you will be. You really have to watch yourself and you live in constant fear.
Was prison a helpful experience for the pair?
“It helped me”, said one. “I took drugs before I went in. If you want to, it will do good…. No more Mountjoy for me. No more prison. I will never go in there again.”
The final figure, detailing the total amount of prisoners to be released on Christmas leave in 2016, will be released on Friday of this week. Last year, 2015, 204 prisoners were released at this time. In 2014, the figure was 242, the year before, 249. They tend to be people near the end of their sentence and people whose behaviour justifies release. In some cases, in the run-up to Christmas, a prisoner towards the end of a sentence may have some short period of time commuted, rather than return in the New Year.
To listen to the full report from Paddy O’Gorman, click here.