Prisons Act, 1970

Power of Minister to direct transfer of detainees from Saint Patrick's Institution to prison to relieve overcrowding.

7.—(1) (a) This section shall come into and be in operation for such period as the Minister may specify by order from time to time, after consultation with the Visiting Committee to Saint Patrick's Institution, and shall cease to be in operation upon the expiration of any such period,

(b) The Minister may by order, after consultation with the visiting Committee to Saint Patrick's Institution, amend or revoke an order under this subsection.

(2) Whenever the Minister is of opinion that it is necessary to do so for the purpose of relieving overcrowding in Saint Patrick's Institution, he may direct the transfer to prison of such number of persons serving sentences in that Institution (not being persons under the age of seventeen years) whose transfer is, in his opinion, necessary for that purpose, and shall commute the unexpired residue of the term of detention of each such person to such term of imprisonment (not exceeding such residue) as he may determine.

(3) Section 3 of the Prevention of Crime Act, 1908, shall apply in relation to a person transferred to prison under subsection (2) of this section as if the person had originally been sentenced to imprisonment and not to detention in Saint Patrick's Institution.