Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
1354. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the issue in the Midlands Prison in relation to complaints from inmates and staff on the lack of proper ventilation or air conditioning in the recent warm weather; if she will investigate the conditions in the prison; her plans to deal with the conditions there in the coming period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39807/21]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that our prisons are built in line with the applicable building regulations and that heating and ventilation systems are installed to cope with the normal expected range of Irish weather conditions. As a result, air conditioning systems designed to respond to the unusual temperature levels experienced in recent weeks are not routinely installed in our prison buildings.
Discomfort experienced for those living and working in our prisons during this recent period, which has now ameliorated, is very much regretted and is something I will discuss with the Irish Prison Service.
The standard for ventilation of prisoner accommodation adopted by the Irish Prison Service is the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) standard for natural ventilation for air changes. Ventilation is achieved by ventilator panels in the cell window which are operated manually by the occupant. A mechanical extract ventilation is installed in the en-suite section of the cell to remove steam and stale air. All other areas of the prison are ventilated to building regulations and CIBSE standards.
I can further advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service completed a major programme of work to replace 475 cell windows at the Midland Prison over the years 2017 and 2020 at a cost of €3.9 million. The windows have a built in manual operated ventilator system included in the design, which allows for the adjustment of the level of fresh air entering the cell.
