Records are not maintained at the prison in such a format as to facilitate the provision, in the timescale involved, of the precise information required. I can, however, inform the Deputy that over the last six weeks the total number of visits under escort by prisoners from Mountjoy Prison to the Mater Hospital was approximately 157. It should be noted that only a certain proportion of these visits were to the casualty department. The balance would have been on foot of routine appointments in other parts of the hospital, including the out-patients department.
The security arrangements surrounding these visits are reviewed on a regular basis, having particular regard to incidents such as the one referred to by the Deputy. New handcuffing procedures for hospital and other escorted outings with prisoners have, as it happens, been promulgated at every closed prison since this incident. New handcuffs and batons have been procured for use on such escorts and there has been a series of meetings between Department and prison officials as part of a tightening up of procedures generally in this area.
The provision of a comprehensive accident and emergency treatment service within prisons to meet all possible medical emergencies is not feasible on practical grounds. To do so would require enormous expenditure to ensure the presence of a fully qualified accident and emergency treatment team at all times in the prisons. The physical plant and facilities associated with accident and emergency treatment is very extensive.
I am, however, in conjunction with the Mater Hospital authorities, providing a secure area in the hospital grounds where prisoners and their escorts can be accommodated while awaiting appointments in the main hospital. I am confident this will go a long way towards reducing the problems arising from prisoners visiting the hospital under escort.
