Vol. 489 No. 3
222 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of days on which general practitioners (details supplied) visited Mountjoy Prison in 1997; the cost of locums in 1997; the overall cost of medical care in the male wing in Mountjoy Prison in 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7851/98]
238 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of days on which general practitioners (details supplied) visited Mountjoy Prison in 1997; the cost of locums during this period; and the overall cost of medical care in the male wing of Mountjoy Prison in 1997. [8001/98]
239 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of days on which general practitioners (details supplied) visited Mountjoy Prison during 1997; the cost of locums during this time; the overall cost of medical care in the male wing of Mountjoy Prison during 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8109/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 238 and 239 together.
Based on information supplied by the Mountjoy prison authorities, the position is that the doctors referred to visited Mountjoy prison on a total of 159 days during 1997. One doctor visited on 49 days and the other on 110 days.
In relation to the doctors referred to, locum payments were made for a total of 114 days and 61 days respectively amounting to £10,989. The total locum cost for the male prison was £12,345. The total cost of medical care for Mountjoy male prison in 1997 was £99,195.
In view of concerns expressed over a period of time regarding the efficient provision of medical services within Mountjoy prison my Department has sought through the provision of a new common contract, which has been accepted by the Irish Medical Organisation and a significant majority of prison doctors, to provide a mechanism for improving prison medical services where required. Unfortunately, a small number of doctors have to date declined to accept this new contract. My Department is currently engaged in discussion with the Irish Medical Organisation aimed at resolving this impasse.
