Vol. 427 No. 8
138 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice if strip-searching procedures are used in Irish prisons, as is the case in the North of Ireland; and if so, the frequency of this; the procedures governing this practice; and the number of women prisoners searched in this way during 1992.
All offenders are strip searched on committal to prison and on discharge. They are also searched on departure and return from court, hospitals and periods of temporary release. In addition offenders are selected on a random basis for strip searching after visits.
The procedures governing searches of offenders are contained in the Rules for the Government of Prisons (1947) and the General Prison Regulations (1953). The searching of an offender is conducted with due regard to decency and self respect and in as seemly a manner as is consistent with the necessity to discover any concealed article. No offender is stripped or searched in front of another offender. For the actual search the offender first removes her outer garments and hands them to the officer to be searched. She is then issued with a dressing gown or nightdress whereupon she removes her underclothes for searching. Body orifices are not searched.
