Vol. 573 No. 3
574 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of admissions from prisons to the Central Mental Hospital in 2001, 2002 and 2003 to date who were certified clinically insane either by prison doctors or by consultants from the Central Mental Hospital immediately prior to their admission to the hospital. [25012/03]
575 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of admissions from prisons to the Central Mental Hospital for 2001, 2002 and 2003 to date. [25013/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 574 and 575 together.
A prisoner who, in the opinion of the prison medical officer, is suffering from a psychiatric condition for which he or she cannot be afforded appropriate treatment within the institution, may be transferred to the Central Mental Hospital. Such transfers may be on a voluntary basis, under section 17 of the Criminal Justice Administration Act 1914 as adapted, or the prisoner may be certified to be insane or of unsound mind, by two doctors, and transferred on foot of an ministerial order.
The following table outlines the latest figures available to me in relation to prisoners who transferred from prison institutions to the Central Mental Hospital from 1 January 2001 to 31 October 2003.
|
Year |
Total No. of Transfers |
Breakdown of Transfers |
Number of Prisoners* |
|
|
2001 |
231 |
Certifications |
136 |
97 |
|
Voluntary |
95 |
30 |
||
|
2002 |
207 |
Certifications |
149 |
92 |
|
Voluntary |
58 |
24 |
||
|
2003 |
270 |
Certifications |
226 |
92 |
|
(to 31.10.2003) |
Voluntary |
44 |
24 |
