asked the Minister for Justice the arrangements afforded to prisoners to practice their religion.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Religious Facilities for Prisoners.
35.
Persons in prison are accorded full facilities to attend religious services and otherwise to practice the religion they profess. De-nominational chaplains are appointed to minister to their spiritual needs.
Persons under arrest in a Garda station cannot be given similar facilities but of course this, while it could extend over a Sunday or a Catholic Church holiday, is of strictly limited duration.
Would the Minister give an assurance to the House that he will not at any time attempt to censor the matter which might be the subject of sermons of clergymen providing religious services?
That, of course, is not one of my functions and I do not think it arises out of the question.
Can the Minister say if he is aware that efforts at censorship of such matter have been attempted at Mountjoy?
No attempts at censorship have taken place, but I think the Deputy may be aware that after the riot there have been difficulties in Mountjoy in relation to certain things that were said, and it is a matter of considerable concern to me that certain things were said, and when and where they were said. The problem would not arise if sermons in certain institutions were confined to religious topics or to matters which are usually dealt with in such sermons, as Deputy Murphy rightly says.
Can sermons be preached in a vaccum?
There are certain situations in which certain types of sermons should not be preached.