asked the Minister for Defence in relation to the establishment at the Curragh for civilian prisoners: (i) the number of prisoners currently detained there; and the number detained on 1 January 1979; (ii) the length of sentence of each prisoner and the length of sentence already served in each case; (iii) the number of prisoners under psychiatric care, the number of prisoners receiving long-term medically prescribed medication for psychiatric complaints, if this treatment is administered by qualified medical personnel, and, if not, the medical or nursing qualifications of the persons administering it; (iv) the number of prisoners (a) released, and (b) returned to normal custody since the establishment of the unit; (v) the total staffing of the unit, and the numbers of (a) military and (b) civilian personnel involved; (vi) the total number of prisoners who have at one time or another attended the Central Mental Hospital from the Curragh and the normal travel time from the Curragh to the Central Mental Hospital for such a convoy.
Written Answers. - Civilian Prisoners in Curragh Detention Barracks.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Military Detention Barracks, Curragh Camp.
(i) The number of civilian prisoners detained in the Military Detention Barracks, Curragh Camp was:
(a) 24 on 3 July 1979 and
(b) 22 on 1 January 1979.
(ii) The length of sentence of each prisoner detained in the Military Detention Barracks on 3 July 1979 and the length of sentence already served in each case was as follows:
|
Number of prisoners |
Length of sentence |
Length of sentence already served |
|
1 |
Life |
3 years |
|
1 |
15 years |
6 months |
|
1 |
15 years |
1 year |
|
1 |
15 years |
3 years |
|
1 |
14 years |
5½ years |
|
1 |
15 years |
1 year |
|
1 |
10 years |
7½ years |
|
1 |
10 years |
5 years |
|
3 |
10 years |
2 years |
|
1 |
8 years |
3½ years |
|
1 |
7 years |
5½ years |
|
1 |
7 years |
5 years |
|
1 |
7 years |
3½ years |
|
1 |
7 years |
2½ years |
|
2 |
7 years |
2 years |
|
1 |
5 years |
2½ years |
|
2 |
3 years |
2 years |
|
1 |
2 years |
1½ years |
|
1 |
1 year |
6 months |
|
1 |
On remand |
— |
|
Total 24 |
(iii) Twelve prisoners in the Military Detention Barracks are under psychiatric care.
Four prisoners are receiving long-term medically prescribed medication for psychiatric complaints. The medication is administered on the advice of a psychiatrist and under the direction of a medical officer by two noncommissioned officers of the Army Medical Corps.
(iv) Since the Military Detention Barracks was designated as a place in which persons transferred to military custody may be kept in military custody—
(a) 126 prisoners have been discharged from the Military Detention Barracks; and
(b) 222 prisoners have been transferred from military to civil custody.
in the period up to 3 July 1979.
(v) For reasons of security, it is not the practice to give details of the staffing of the Military Detention Barracks.
(vi) No prisoner attended the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, from the Military Detention Barracks.
The other part of this question therefore does not arise.