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. - Curragh Civilian Prisoners.
The reply to this question is set out in the following 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 |
3 months |
|
1 |
15 years |
9 months |
|
1 |
15 years |
3 years |
|
1 |
14 years |
5 years |
|
1 |
12 years |
1 year |
|
1 |
10 years |
6½ years |
|
1 |
10 years |
5 years |
|
2 |
10 years |
2 years |
|
1 |
8 years |
3 years |
|
1 |
7 years |
5½ years |
|
1 |
7 years |
5 years |
|
2 |
7 years |
2½ years |
|
1 |
7 years |
2 years |
|
2 |
7 years |
1½ 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) 214 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.
127.
asked the Minister for Justice, in relation to the establishment at the Curragh for certain prisoners, the number of statements made by him under the Prisons Act relating to the movement of prisoners between the Curragh and the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, for psychiatric treatment since the establishment of the unit.
I assume that the statements referred to are those required to be made when a prisoner is transferred into or out of military custody.
There are no transfers direct from military custody to the Central Mental Hospital. If a prisoner in military custody is deemed to be in need of treatment at the Central Mental Hospital he must first be transferred back to civil custody.
Since May 1972, when transfers to military custody were first authorised, a total of 23 statements included the names of persons transferred to the Central Mental Hospital who had up to the time of the transfer been in military custody.