Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2021
211. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice when the terms of reference and the structure of a cross-agency taskforce to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those in prison following on from the Council of Europe committee on the prevention of torture report, will be finalised and the task force will be set up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4815/21]
View answer212. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if the proposed cross-agency taskforce to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those in prison will be engaging in a public consultation as part of their work; the proposed nature of the consultation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4816/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.
I wish to inform the Deputy that collaboration with the Minister for Health on the development of Terms of Reference and structure for the establishment of the Task Force is now at an advanced stage.
The Terms of Reference have been agreed in principle between our two Departments and work is now underway to identify a Chair and put in place other administrative details.
Both I and the Minister for Health recognise the urgent need to design and put in place proper systems to care for the most vulnerable people who come into contact with the criminal justice system and establishment of the Task Force is a priority objective to move forward in the first quarter of 2021.
Membership of the Task Force however is not yet finalised and this is not expected to be done before the Chair is appointed.
The Deputy will wish to be aware that apart from membership, it is expected that the work of the Task Force will require wide consultation with relevant stakeholders and I hope to be in a position to provide further details in relation to this issue in the coming weeks.
