merrion street

The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Ms. Frances Fitzgerald, today published the reports of the 14 Prison Visiting Committees.

The function of Visiting Committees is to visit the prison to which they are appointed and hear any complaints which may be made to them by any prisoner. The Committees play a vital role in ensuring the quality of accommodation, catering, medical, educational, welfare and recreational facilities.
The Tánaiste said “I welcome these positive reports and once again wish to thank the Committees for their work. While the reports speak for themselves I am pleased to note the general praise for management and staff of the prisons which is testament to the good work carried out by them on a daily basis. I am also pleased to note the acknowledgement of the contribution of all the different agencies working with offenders within the prison system.”
With reference to the concerns raised regarding the deployment of staff resources to prisoners who wish to engage in structured activities, the Tánaiste said “the Irish Prison Service is currently developing proposals for an alternative regime management plan that would prioritise the deployment of staff resources to prisoners who wish to engage in structured activities. This will be piloted in one prison prior to its roll out to other prison sites.”

As to concerns raised around internet access restrictions, the Irish Prison Service is working to ensure that access to essential course materials is not adversely affected. In relation to the provision of health care, the objective of the Irish Prison Service is to provide equivalence of care in relation to the provision of health care services comparable to that available to medical card holders in the community. Nurses have recently been recruited for vacancies at a number of locations. A further class of candidates will be assigned by mid 2016.

In response to comments around homelessness for offenders on release, the Tánaiste said “The Irish Prison Service has been actively working through the Regional Homeless Consultative Fora as well as working directly with the Departments of Environment and Social Protection to provide an appropriate in-reach service to ensure that prisoners are assisted to find accommodation before release.”

The Tánaiste also referred to the proposed development at Limerick prison which will see the replacement of both the A & B Wings with a new modern cell block designed to meet international standards and will end the practice of slopping out in Limerick Prison. The development will also include a new accommodation block for female prisoners with 50 rooms and 8 family friendly apartments.

The Tánaiste said “This represents a very significant investment in the justice sector in Limerick and when completed will provide a very high standard of accommodation for both prisoners and staff in Limerick Prison. It is intended to tender for the main development later this year.
This very significant development at Limerick Prison, coupled with the opening of the new Cork Prison in January 2016 and the completion of the refurbishment of Mountjoy Prison will radically improve the prison estate and consign the practice of slopping out to history.
In addition, planning is underway for a development at Portlaoise Prison that will bring slopping out to an end there. “
ENDS
Note to Editors
The Reports, along with previous Reports, are available on the Department’s website www.justice.ie