Mary Flaherty
Question:62 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of the criteria used by his Department in the selection of prison visiting committees, with particular reference to the training unit at Mountjoy prison.
Written Answers. - Prison Visiting Committees.
The Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act, 1925 provides for the constitution of visiting committees for prisons and places of detention. The selection of persons to serve on visiting committees is dealt with in section 2 of the Act.
A minimum of six and a maximum of 12 responsible persons must be appointed to each committee and a committee must include at least two female members where the prison has female prisoners. Under the Act committee members may hold office for such a period not exceeding three years as the Minister shall think proper and shall specify when appointing them. Section 5 of the Act empowers the Minister to make rules prescribing the duties and powers of visiting committees and the manner in which they shall perform their duties and exercise their powers. The rules are set out in the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order, 1925.
The purpose of the Act and the Order is broadly to provide a statutory independent committee to protect prisoners' interests. It is normal practice to appoint to visiting committees persons of standing in the community who are competent and suitable to carry out the statutory functions of the committees.
The criteria which are used in the appointment of members of the visiting committees to the training unit are similar to those used for all prisons and places of detention.