Prisoners are committed to prison on foot of a court warrant which empowers the governor of the particular institution to hold the person named on the warrant. On committal to prison, the details on the warrant are read over to the person to be committed to ensure that he or she is aware of the reason for committal. If the person concerned contests the warrant, for example, if he or she states that he or she is not the person named on the warrant, verification is then sought. If the committing garda can identify the person, this is endorsed on the warrant. If the person is not known to the committing garda, he or she is taken away again and recommitted at a later time with some form of identification.
As part of the committal procedure, a document known as a committal details form is completed. A prison reception officer enters the pris oner's details on this form. The information entered is quite detailed and includes particulars of the current sentence and previous committal periods as well as personal details such as date of birth, address, next of kin, marital status, physical features and drug and psychiatric history. This form is signed by the reception officer and countersigned by the prisoner.
A medical orderly or prison nurse also interviews each prisoner on committal. The medical orderly or nurse takes medical details from the prisoner, including particulars of his GP, if any, current medication and medical history. The prisoner is also questioned regarding his history of drug or alcohol abuse, psychiatric illness and previous self-harm to provide the relevant information. The details are recorded on a medical record form.
The accuracy of the personal information entered on the committal and medical forms relies largely on the willingness of the prisoner to give full and frank details. The provision of any immediate follow up medical or other attention will often depend on the provision by the prisoner of accurate information.
Each prisoner is seen by the prison doctor within 24 hours of committal. In the event that the doctor considers, on the basis of his examination or the details declared by the prisoner, that further specialist referral, including psychiatric referral, is necessary, this is arranged. In the case where a prisoner declares a medical issue requiring verification or consultation with other medical agencies in the community, the prison doctor would make the appropriate inquiries having obtained the prisoner's consent to do this.