Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 February 2013
72. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the representations he has made to the Northern Ireland authorities regarding the human rights issues of prisoners in Maghaberry Prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9031/13]
View answerPrisons policy in Northern Ireland, and the conditions prevailing within them, is a devolved matter overseen by the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland and an executive agency of that Department, the Northern Ireland Prison Service. I have received a full briefing on the assessment of an Oireachtas delegation that recently visited Maghaberry Prison and can assure the House that we continue to monitor developments there very closely. My officials are in regular communication with a network of contacts, including public representatives, individuals and organisations working closely with the prisoners themselves. This facilitates confidential approaches on individual cases of concern. I wish to underline however, that this is against the background of the devolution of policing and justice in February 2010 and of ongoing and far reaching reform in the justice system in Northern Ireland, led by Minister David Ford.
In October 2011 a report into prison reform was published by Dame Anne Owers which made far reaching recommendations related to prison reform in Northern Ireland. This followed a full review of the prison system with a particular focus on how best to protect the human rights of individual prisoners. Much progress has been made to date in implementing the recommended reforms contained within this report, including a significant uptake of the prison officers’ “exit” scheme and a corresponding recruitment of new prison staff. Minister Ford confirmed recently that, to date, 287 prison officers have left the service through the voluntary redundancy scheme and he has secured funding to allow a further 73 Prison Officers to leave. The delivery of a reformed justice system has a major part to play in building and protecting a more positive future for Northern Ireland. I believe that the full implementation of all of the recommendations of the Owers Report remains the most effective way to achieve this and to ensure that conditions within all prisons in Northern Ireland are of an acceptable standard.
