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	The Inspector of Prisons has strongly criticised the blanket ban on early release for sex offenders following the death of a severely ill elderly offender in prison.</p>
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	Doctors and prison bosses had repeatedly recommended the 82-year-old be released on health grounds, but this was turned down because of an unwritten policy refusing temporary release to sex offenders.</p>
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	Inspector, Judge Michael Reilly, also heavily criticised garda&iacute;, saying there was &ldquo;no foundation whatsoever&rdquo; to their submission to prison officials that the man presented a risk if released.</p>
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	He urged the minister for justice to consider referring the matter to a Garda oversight body for investigation.</p>
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	Last night, the Irish Penal Reform Trust said the case &ldquo;amounted to a failure by the State to prevent torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment&rdquo; and called for a review of temporary release policies.</p>
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	The report was into the circumstances surrounding the death of Prisoner C in the Midlands Prison on January 30, 2012. The married man, from Munster, was committed on October 15, 2010.</p>
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	The inspector said the man was &ldquo;unfit for imprisonment&rdquo; and &ldquo;should not have died in prison&rdquo;.</p>
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	While the report does not specify the man&rsquo;s conviction, the Irish Examiner has learned it was for a sexual offence.</p>
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	Judge Reilly said the man&rsquo;s medical conditions gave rise for concern from October 19, 2010. In the six months prior to his death he was admitted to hospital six times.</p>
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	The inspector said it was &ldquo;inhumane&rdquo; that other prisoners had to assist the man with his personal hygiene.</p>
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	&ldquo;Prison doctors, on four occasions, brought their concerns to the attention of appropriate prison governors,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	&ldquo;The governor in Midlands Prison contacted the Prison Service and made his concerns known&rdquo;.</p>
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	Judge Reilly said that the Operations Directorate prepared submissions for the director general who gave them to the department.</p>
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	The director general refused temporary release, but the inspector said this &ldquo;was in reality a decision not of his making&rdquo; but &ldquo;reflected the unwritten policy of the department and the long- standing practice that offenders such as the deceased would not be released early&rdquo;.</p>
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	The inspector recommended that decisions to grant temporary release on health grounds &ldquo;should be based on the particular circumstances of each case and not be influenced by policy&rdquo;.</p>
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	He said there was &ldquo;no foundation whatsoever&rdquo; for the Garda view the deceased presented a risk if released.</p>
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	&ldquo;The minister should consider, in the public interest, whether she should refer this report to an appropriate body charged with oversight of An Garda S&iacute;och&aacute;na and in order to establish if an investigation into this alleged assertion should be undertaken,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ban-on-sex-offenders-early-release-criticised-303374.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ban-on-sex-offenders-early-release-criticised-303374.html</a></p>
