Vol. 250 No. 8
asked the Minister for Justice the total number of persons in the Central Mental Hospital (a) following conviction on capital charge and committed to the hospital by the courts and (b) committed directly to the hospital on non-capital charges; and what the broad categories of these charges are.
173.
asked the Minister for Justice the total number of persons transferred to the Central Mental Hospital from (1) Mountjoy, (2) Portlaoise and (3) other provincial prisons; whether the process of transfer took place (a) in accordance with a judicial order following appearance of the person involved before the justice concerned or (b) following an order of the Minister for Justice.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.
It would not be possible in the time available to prepare the information sought in so far as all my predecessors are concerned. In respect of the year ended 30th November, 1970, the total number of persons transferred to the Central Mental Hospital from the various prisons and St. Patrick's Institution was as follows:—
|
From Mountjoy Prison |
43 |
|
“Limerick Prison |
1 |
|
“Portlaoise |
1 |
|
“ St. Patrick's Institution |
12 |
|
57 |
The transfers took place in one case by order of the Central Criminal Court and in the others by order of the Minister for Justice under seal. There is no one in the hospital who has been committed directly by the courts following conviction on a capital charge. One person, who was found unfit to plead in a case of non-capital murder, is there pursuant to an order of the Central Criminal Court.
