Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
442. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 809 of 24 July 2018, the figures for the total for each prison and place of detention on the day of the Census of Restricted Regime Prisoners in January 2018 and on the day of the Census of Restricted Regime Prisoners in April 2018, in tabular form. [35630/18]
View answerI am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that there are no prisoners on protection who are not on a form of restricted regime with the exception of one prisoner on Portlaoise Campus.
A prisoner may, either at his/her own request or when the Governor considers it necessary, in so far as is practicable and subject to the maintenance and good order and safe and secure custody, be kept separate from other prisoners who are reasonably likely to cause significant harm to him/her. This is provided for under Rule 63 of the Prison Rules 2007.
In addition, the Governor may decide, for the maintenance of good order in the prison, to remove a prisoner from general association or structured activity to reduce the negative effect that a prisoner or prisoners may have on the general population. This is provided for under Rule 62 of the Prison Rules 2007. There may also be a smaller number of prisoners who would be restricted for medical (Rule 64) or discipline reasons (Rule 67).
The Census undertaken by the Irish Prison Service on a quarterly basis provides figures in respect of all of these categories of restricted regime prisoners.
