I refer to my reply to Question No. 511 on 26 May 2015 in which I advised the Deputy that there is no practice in place of prisoners not being released from their cells at the appropriate time in the morning, and going into lock-up earlier in the evenings.
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there are occasions when, for various reasons, delays in moving prisoners to schools, workshops etc, do occur. However these issues are managed locally in the prisons and prison management make every effort to ensure that such occurrences are kept to a minimum.
With reference to the average day for a prisoner in Midlands Prison I can inform the Deputy that the daily timetable for the prison is as follows:
|
Time
|
Daily Timetable
|
|
8.00
|
Staff on Duty
|
|
8.10
|
Unlock prisoners for breakfast
|
|
8.40
|
Prisoners locked secure in cells
|
|
9.15
|
Unlock prisoners for recreation, visits, workshops and school
|
|
12.15
|
Prisoners return from workshops, school, visits. Served with dinner and locked secure in cells
|
|
12.45
|
Prison locked secure
|
|
14.05
|
Unlock prisoners for recreation, visits, workshops and school
|
|
16.15
|
Prisoners return from workshops, school, visits. Served with evening meal and locked secure in cells
|
|
16.45
|
Prison locked secure
|
|
17.15
|
Prisoners unlocked for evening recreation
|
|
19.30
|
Prisoners fall in from recreation, collect medication and locked secure in cells
|
I can also advise the Deputy that a robust complaints procedure is now in place in the Irish Prison Service and that on receipt of a complaint from a prisoner, the Irish Prison Service will ensure that it is fully investigated.
