andDr. O'Connell asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the groups, bodies or individuals who may on request or under statue visit prisons.
95.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prison Visitors.
94.
Dr. Browne
Dr. Browne
andDr. O'Connell asked the Minister for Justice the conditions under which he would permit the Phoenix Society composed of law students to have access to prisons in this country as part of an educational process.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together.
Only those persons specified in rule 119 of the Rules for the Government of Prisons, 1947, or those authorised by statute, such as members of a visiting committee, or by an order from the Minister for Justice may visit a prison. These restrictions are in the interests of protecting the privacy of prisoners and of good prison administration.
Each application to visit a prison is considered on its merits but in normal circumstances any Deputy who is interested in penal reform and who would like to see the operation of a prison would receive permission. In fact, I welcome such visits and the only qualification I would like to suggest is that they might be arranged in groups with a view to minimising the effect on normal prison routine. Similarly, visits by social science or law students which are sponsored by the faculty are normally allowed where the numbers are not excessive.
The application by the Phoenix Society related to visits to prisoners. As to this, I should say that visits to prisoners are confined by the prison rules to relatives and friends of the prisoners concerned and to authorised persons concerned with their welfare who are acting under the supervision of the welfare officer. Authorisation to such persons is only given on an individual basis after an assessment of the particular person's suitability.