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Prison Visiting Regulations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2012

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Questions (67)

Brian Stanley

Question:

67. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact that international research demonstrates that strong family relationships are key to the successful reintegration of prisoners on release; and his plans to address this matter in the context of denial of visits due to prison discipline, which is against human rights standards. [54466/12]

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Written answers

The Irish Prison Service endeavours to help prisoners, where possible and appropriate, to maintain relationships with their families. Every effort is made to ensure that prisoners are located as close to their home as possible to facilitate visits from family and friends. However, this is not always possible for operational and security reasons. I am aware that maintaining family relationships can help to prevent prisoners re-offending and assist them to resettle successfully into their community and I am aware that International research has found that prisoners who maintain good family contact are twice as likely to have employment and housing on leaving prison and are up to six times less likely to re-offend.

Section 35 of the 2005 Prison Rules sets out the provisions regarding prisoners contact with the outside community including through ordinary visits. Under these rules a sentenced prisoner is entitled to one visit per week of 30 minutes duration and a remand prisoner is entitled to a visit on any weekday of 15 minutes duration. However, additional or longer visits may be granted where circumstances permit, at the Governor's discretion.

The Deputy may be aware the Irish Prison Service has recently introduced new Guidelines on the Imposition of Disciplinary Sanctions in Accordance with the Prison Rules 2007 to provide uniformity in the use of disciplinary sanctions and procedures throughout the Irish Prison Service. Under these guidelines prisoners should not lose the right to communicate with their families and the loss of family visits is not employed as a sanction in response to a breach of prison discipline.

Question No. 68 answered with Question No. 58.
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