Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
20. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the steps being taken to ensure family contact for prisoners is maintained at normal levels during Covid-19 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41668/20]
View answerI appreciate the Deputy's concern and thank him for raising the issue which I know is very important to prisoners and their families.
I am assured that every effort has been made by the Prison Service to continue physical visits during this pandemic. As the Deputy is aware, it was necessary to suspend physical visits to prisons, firstly in March and again in October, following public health guidance. The Service is acutely aware of the need for prisoners to maintain contact with their families and a new video visit system was introduced which has allowed families to continue to support those in custody and the feedback from both prisoners and their families about this has been generally positive. The Prison Service fully appreciate how important contact with family and friends are to people in custody. When physical visits recommence, the Service will also retain the option of video calls for prisoners.
I understand that additional phone calls have been also been facilitated.
The IPS has announced arrangements to allow all those in custody to book a physical family visit between 16 December and 6 January. Each prisoner will be entitled to one physical visit, limited to two people, which is limited to 15 minutes in duration. I understand this time limit is necessary to ensure that the maximum number of visits can be facilitated, having regard to the need to reduce the number of booths in use for distancing purposes and the need to fully sanitise surfaces between visitors. All visits will be behind clear screens and visitors and prisoners will be required to wear a face mask at all times. No physical contact will be permitted.
All visitors will also be subject to the Covid-19 screening procedures which have been in place since March and visitors are requested not to attend if they have any symptoms, have been in contact with a person who has gone for testing, if they themselves have tested positive for Covid and have yet to be cleared by their doctor, or if they have been abroad in the preceding fortnight.
Prisoners will continue to be able to avail of a 20 minute video visit and an additional daily phone call is also being facilitated during the Christmas period.
I understand this is very difficult for the families concerned, particularly after such a difficult year. However, the IPS have worked tirelessly to safeguard prisoners and staff and this continues to be the primary consideration. We are all hoping next year will be a very different year but for now IPS must continue to ensure that the prison population is protected from the virus and they are continuing to make use of alternative means of keeping prisoners and their families connected.
[Following the return to Level 3 under the Governments Framework for Living with Covid-19, the IPS will be facilitating temporary release for a small cohort of prisoners as is the normal practice at Christmas. Applications are currently being assessed and as always public safety will be paramount in making any decision. Prisoners will be required to quarantine on their return to prison. Further details on this will be announced by the IPS later this month.]
