Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Prison Incident.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

1052 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the circumstances surrounding the case where a person (details supplied) in Mountjoy Prison suffered from hypothermia, endangering his life; the charges against him; the circumstances surrounding his arrest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1837/01]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

1069 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the unstable state of health of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if a psychiatric and medical report has been obtained in this case; if the authorities here and in the United Kingdom are aware of his state of health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2181/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1052 and 1069 together.

I am informed by the Director General of the Irish Prisons Service, that the person referred to was committed to Mountjoy Prison on 12 January 2001, on foot of committal warrants issued by the Dublin Metropolitan District Court. The first warrant ordered his imprisonment for a period of three months for road traffic offences and the second ordered that he be detained in Mountjoy Prison pending his extradition to the United Kingdom in relation to charges of illegally trespassing on a building.

On committal to Mountjoy, the prisoner was interviewed in the prison reception by a medical orderly who recorded that the offender was fit and well, had no complaints and had no psychiatric history. In addition he had no drug or alco hol addiction problems and was not on any medication. To date he has not been seen by a psychiatrist nor has he requested such a visit.

The prisoner has since visited the prison doctor on two separate occasions. He was prescribed medication for his condition on both occasions. He has made no complaint to the prison authorities and they have no record of the offender suffering from hypothermia. I am satisfied that his medical needs have and are currently being attended to by the relevant medical authorities in Mountjoy Prison. In the circumstances I see no reason to alert the United Kingdom authorities in relation to his medical condition.