New instructions would shortly be issued to all prison governors about measures to prevent unlawful escapes from custody, the House was told. Concerns about such escapes, particularly by prisoners being transported, were expressed by the Leas-Cathaoirleach, Mr Liam Cosgrave (FG).
Responding to Mr Cosgrave's concerns, Dr Tom Moffatt, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, said that following recent incidents, the director general of the Prisons Service, at the request of the Minister, had set up an expert review group to examine the circumstances of each escape and to review escorting procedures and the equipment used in such escorts.
The areas being examined included the use of handcuffs and batons, the situation in relation to key-holders, transport arrangements, staff training, the profiling of prisoners and searching procedures.