asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is continuing to monitor the frequency and extent of strip-searching of women prisoners in Armagh jail; the information he can provide regarding the frequency and extent of this practice in the last four weeks; the progress he has made towards its elimination; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Armagh Jail Strip Searching.
11.
I have assured the House on a number of occasions of my concern at the continuing practice of strip searching at Armagh Women's Prison. I have raised this matter with the British authorities and am continuing to monitor closely any developments relating to this practice.
During February 1986 a total of 29 strip searches were carried out on 18 prisoners. Eight prisoners were searched once, nine were searched twice and one was searched three times. This compares with a total of 49 searches at Armagh Women's Prison during the month of January.
Is the Minister aware that, despite rumours which circulated at the end of January to the effect that strip searching in this jail was about to be discontinued, it appears that the very opposite is the case and that on February 3, Mr. Scott, the Minister responsible for prisons, announced that the strip searching would continue in the foreseeable future? Is the Minister aware also that details have been emerging recently regarding the strip searching of two women on remand in Brixton Prison and that this provides further evidence that strip searching is used for the purpose of punishment and to degrade and humiliate?
I have no wish to comment on the statements of another politician in regard to a matter which is his responsibility, but I have said here before that strip searching is a degrading and humiliating practice. However, as the Deputy will be aware, the offices of our party were occupied during the week by people protesting about strip searching in Armagh Women's Prison. Perhaps not the individuals who occupied them but certainly some of their fellow travellers are associated with the Provisional IRA and I find it extremely cynical that an organisation who have no hesitation in taking a young man and his wife down an alleyway and shooting them, as they did recently, should now start protesting about strip searching. We should not pay any attention to the voicing of concerns about strip searching from that quarter.
I had put down my question before that incident took place and I have had no communication or association with those people. My interest arises from the humanitarian aspect. Will the Minister bring greater pressure to bear on the Northern Ireland Office, because of the new situation arising and his new position in relation to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to bring this practice to an end as soon as possible? He answered a question on this matter on 18 October 1984 from Deputy Gregory but 18 months later it is still happening.
I will bear in mind what the Deputy has said in any discussions I may have in other arenas.
The Minister said he was continuing to monitor the situation and he quoted the figures for last month and this month. On humanitarian grounds, will he go more strenuously into the monitoring operation in regard to the number, frequency and type of strip searching? He might also consider whether this could be raised for discussion in any forthcoming talks relating to security and prisons in general under the Hillsborough Agreement at the Anglo-Irish Conference.
The Taoiseach answered a question last month about the Anglo-Irish Conference and laid down what would be answered in this House. I am responsible for answering questions and no detail of what is proposed to be discussed at future conference will be made available but will be treated as confidential. I have heard what the Deputy has said.
Arising directly from the form of the Minister's reply, would the Minister agree that a cause is not necessarily invalidated by those who support it, no matter now heinous their philosophy or their actions may be? Purely on the basis that these women are being subjected to this humiliation, will the Minister agree with such people as Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich that it should be stopped immediately?
I certainly agree that a cause should not be debased by those who are attracted to support it. I have said before in this House that the practice is humiliating and degrading. I have listened to all that has been said in this House and I also know Cardinal Ó Fiaich's views. During the course of a reply to a question 18 months ago I said I agreed with what he had said.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I am sorry, Deputy. I gave the last questions to Deputy O'Rourke and Deputy Wilson but I will not keep at this question all day.