asked the Minister for Justice why certain persons (details supplied) are held continuously in punishment block conditions in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin; and if he will arrange to have their conditions, including arrangements for family visits, improved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mountjoy Prison.
27.
It is not correct to say that the prisoners in question are held in punishment block conditions. It happens that, for reasons I shall explain, both they and some others, amounting at the present time to a total of ten, are kept in a portion of the prison which is also used to keep any prisoners who are temporarily undergoing what is called deprivation of privileges, but the conditions applicable to them are different from those applicable to prisoners deprived of privileges. They have in fact the same general facilities as the general body of prisoners.
The prisoners to which the question relates have been convicted of serious crimes and it is common knowledge that they are associated with an outside organisation. Against that background, both for reasons of their own personal safety and for security reasons, they have to be segregated, in the way I have indicated, from the general body of prisoners. The section of the prison where they are kept is the only section available and is not as suitable as I would wish, in that it is what might be called a semi-basement. However, its windows are above ground level and provide direct natural light and fresh air. Furthermore, there is no problem of dampness or anything of that kind. I think it right to say also that recreation facilities available to those prisoners include craftwork and colour TV, the value of which is extended by the availability of video recordings. Educational facilities are also available.
Normal prison entitlement is to one visit per week of one half-hour duration but the Governor has discretion to extend the time, and, because of distance from home, he generally allows double that time to relatives of the particular prisoners referred to in the question.
Since these prisoners are, through force of circumstances, more isolated than the general body of prisoners, I am having a special review carried out to see whether, in the matter of visits for instance, some further concession could be allowed without creating a situation in which other prisoners might have grounds for complaint about discrimination and without jeopardising security.