Vol. 510 No. 3
383 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the role his Department plays in the provision or supervision of medical services provided to prisoners; the steps, if any, he will take to ensure the provision of a satisfactory level of medical care in view of a recent study by the centre for health promotion at the NUI, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22734/99]
As Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I am responsible for the provision of primary medical services to prisoners. It is policy that prisoners be provided with an equivalent standard of health care as citizens in the general community who are entitled to services under the Health Acts. I am advised in relation to the structure and organisation of a broad range of prison-related health services by the director of prison medical service who co-ordinates the provision of such services.
Each prison has one or more part-time doctors who are responsible for the health care of prisoners within that institution. Where a prisoner requires specialist hospital care, either as an out-patient or in-patient, arrangements are made for this to be provided in an appropriate hospital.
