Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
768. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice if the Irish Prison Service Framework for Unwinding Prison Restrictions or a similar plan for the unwinding of Covid-19 restrictions in prison will be published; if so, when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14674/22]
View answer769. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice if the Irish Prison Service Covid-19 Contingency Plan will be published; if so, when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14675/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 768 and 769 together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Prison Service has continued to review and modify Covid-19 restrictions throughout the pandemic in line with the various announcements made by Government, advice from Public Health/HSE and the Irish Prison Service National Infection Control Team.
In 2020 the Irish Prison Service developed a Framework for Covid-19 Restrictions in line with the Government Framework and in 2021 a Covid-19 Contingency Plan was introduced to govern the management of a Covid-19 outbreak within a prison. The Covid-19 Contingency Plan is an internal operational document for the management of Covid-19 outbreaks in prisons and has not been published for security and operational reasons.
Throughout the pandemic wide ranging infection control measures and restrictions were introduced to prevent the spread of Covid-19 within the prison estate including the suspension of physical visits, the restriction of movements within prisons and the introduction of a restricted regime for prisoners in the infected area while mass testing was underway.
A substantial amount of work has been carried out by the Prison Service to address the evolving challenges, both in the broad range of protective measures designed to keep prisoners and staff safe, as well as initiatives to mitigate against the inevitable impact of Covid-related restrictions and changes in regime on those in custody, however necessary they may be. All while continuing to provide a range of rehabilitative support services for prisoners in custody.
The Prison Service has been very successful in its management of Covid-19 since the pandemic commenced in March 2020. However, it is a fact that managing the risks and challenges faced in a prison context during the Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be significant, particularly over such a protracted period of time.
I can assure the Deputy that the Prison Service has at all times been very mindful of the impact the necessary measures introduced to restrict the spread of Covid-19 have on the routine of the prisoner population and has consistently kept all such measures under review.
In early 2021, the Prison Service aligned the unwinding of restrictions to the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in prisons. As a result of the successful roll out of the vaccination programme to all prisons, the Service was in a position to unwind a significant amount of restrictive measures in all locations with the exception of Cloverhill Prison which did not have a critical mass of prisoners vaccinated at the time.
In mid 2021, following the latest advice from Government, the Prison Service commenced a further unwinding of measures in line with similar actions taken in the community.
This included:
- the recommencement of physical visits in all locations,
- the removal on the restriction preventing the mixing of prisoners from different areas within the prison,
- the return of constructive activities to full capacity,
- the recommencement of prisoner temporary release programmes, and
- the resumption of religious services.
The resumption of these services was contingent on the continuation of a number of infection control measures to ensure the health and safety of both staff/service providers and prisoners.
In early 2022, the Irish Prison Service undertook another significant review of infection control measures resulting in further restrictions being lifted. This included an increase in the number of visitors permitted to visit prisoners, the resumption of non-essential prison visits including the facilitation of in-reach services on a priority basis and the removal of capacity restrictions and the compulsory wearing of facial coverings.
As a result the majority of restrictive measures have been lifted. However, the Prison Service, recognising the threat that Covid-19 continues to pose to the vulnerable prison population, has continued a number of infection control measures such as the quarantining of new committals and the isolation of suspected cases. All such measures are continually reviewed taking account of the community rate of transmission and the level of risk posed.
