Prison Accommodation.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2006

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Questions (338, 339, 340)

Dan Neville

Question:

359 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of observation cells in operation in prisons here. [11582/06]

Dan Neville

Question:

360 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of padded cells, including all striped cells or unfurnished rooms, in operation. [11583/06]

Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together.

As the Deputy is aware, I previously gave a commitment to abolish the use of old style padded cells in our prisons and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that significant progress has been made in replacing such cells with the newly designed special observation and close supervision cells. The newly designed special observation and close supervision cells are in operation in the following institutions:

	Special Observation Cells	Close Supervision Cells
Arbour Hill Prison	1	0
Dóchas Centre	0	3
Cloverhill Prison	2	4
St. Patrick’s Institution	1	1
Mountjoy Prison	8	3
Midlands Prison	2	2
Castlerea Prison	1	1
Total	15	14

Cork Prison has two temporary "strip" cells in operation pending the completion of the newly designed special observation cells. Wheatfield Prison has four "strip" cells performing the same function pending the completion of a similar project in that prison. It is expected that the newly designed cells will also be commissioned in Limerick Prison in the near future.

Dan Neville

Question:

361 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners who were in solitary confinement for the years 2004, 2005 and to date in 2006. [11584/06]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

There is no provision for solitary confinement in the Irish Prison Service. However, there are two situations in which a prisoner may be removed from the general population. Information relating to the placement of prisoners in the newly designed close supervision and special observation cells are set out in the following table. These figures are composite in nature and include placement in both types of cells. First, while undesirable, it is a matter of practical necessity to put some prisoners in a place of safety within the prison system when they prove difficult to manage in the general prison population or where authorised by a prison doctor for medical observation or for the prisoner's own protection if he or she has suicidal tendencies.

Year	2003	2004	2005	2006 (to 21/03/06)
Mountjoy Prison	428	401	389	89
Dóchas Centre	185	141	94	24
Cloverhill Prison	76	94	107	123
Wheatfield Prison	85	174	135	92
Cork Prison	133	78	86	13
Castlerea Prison	38	33	39	32
Midlands Prison	19	8	1	0
Arbour Hill Prison	6	18	7	2
St. Patrick’s Institution*	178	221	170	47
Total	1,148	1,168	1,028	422

* Figure for St. Patrick's Institution includes usage of "strip" and "padded" cells and an exact figure for use of "padded" cells is not therefore available.

Second, there were a number of other prisoners who were sanctioned by prison governors for serious breaches of prison discipline and who were placed in close confinement for periods of up to three days. The number of occasions where this took place are set out in the following table. Prisoners are never placed in special observation cells for disciplinary reasons.

Year	Number
2004	122
2005	66
2006 (to date)	10