Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2023
272. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW has fitted each Garda station custody suite with cell panic strip; and, if not, the estimated cost if the remaining Garda stations custody suites were fitted with cell panic strip. [2812/23]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) can confirm that panic strips are installed in each of the custody suites that have been upgraded since 2014 as part of the anti-ligature programme, a multi-annual programme to upgrade all Garda cells to an agreed anti-ligature standard.
The OPW is in communication with Garda Estate Management regarding the locations of custody suites remaining to be upgraded under this programme, and are working on a definitive list of active Garda custody suites so it is not possible to identify all those stations which are yet to be included in the programme.
The programme has been running since 2010 and the specifications were updated in 2014 to include a panic strip.
The panic strip layout will be specific to the individual project and the requirements will be specified in each individual tender, for inclusion in the overall price. The OPW would not be able to project the costs for this individual element of the programme.
