Written Answers Nos. 85-89
85. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners serving a life sentence, by prison; the number of life sentence prisoners who were released from prison each year since 2012 and the length of their sentences served; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15846/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that at present there are 352 Life Sentenced Prisoners in custody. Table 1 below gives the number of prisoners broken down by prison and gender on the 28th February 2017.
|
Establishment |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
Arbour Hill Prison |
39 |
39 |
|
|
Castlerea Prison |
16 |
16 |
|
|
Cloverhill Prison |
3 |
3 |
|
|
Cork Prison |
15 |
15 |
|
|
Limerick Prison (Female) |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Limerick Prison (Male) |
11 |
11 |
|
|
Loughan House |
12 |
12 |
|
|
Midlands Prison |
79 |
79 |
|
|
Mountjoy Prison (Female) |
9 |
9 |
|
|
Mountjoy Prison (Male) |
41 |
41 |
|
|
Portlaoise Prison |
24 |
24 |
|
|
Shelton Abbey |
16 |
16 |
|
|
Training Unit |
15 |
15 |
|
|
Wheatfield Place of Detention |
71 |
71 |
|
|
Total |
10 |
342 |
352 |
Life sentenced prisoners who are released into the community continue to serve their sentences and are subject to a number of stringent conditions. Table 2 gives an annual breakdown from 2012 - 2016 (inclusive), the number of prisoners granted temporary release in each year and the average length of sentence served prior to being granted temporary release.
|
Year of Reviewable Temporary Release |
Prisoners on Reviewable Temporary Release |
Approximate Average Length of Time Served Prior to Reviewable Temporary Release |
|
2016 |
7 |
22 Years |
|
2015 |
6 |
17 Years 6 Months |
|
2014 |
4 |
20 Years |
|
2013 |
4 |
17 Years 6 Months |
|
2012 |
4 |
22 Years |
86. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the details of the review and management of the complaints services in prisons; if her Department completes audits of these systems; if she has improvements planned for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15847/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the director general of the Irish Prison Service, IPS, that the prisoner complaints system is administered by the operations directorate in the Irish Prison Service Headquarters and is governed by the provisions of S.I. 11 of 2013 and Rule 57 of the Prison Rules 2007.
The prisoner complaints system provides multiple categories of complaint (A-F), the most serious being categorised as 'A'. Each category is determined by the prison governor. Category A complaints are independently investigated. Other less serious complaints are investigated internally or referred to a relevant professional body.
A review, evaluation and analysis of the operation of the prisoner complaints system was held in April 2016 by the late inspector of prisons. The Irish Prison Service is currently implementing the recommendations made following the review and are currently engaged in discussions with the Ombudsman who will be given a role in the complaints process.
The new Irish Prison Service prisoner complaints system will have complaint and appeal mechanisms for both serious and less serious complaints and will provide for an independent element in the investigation of complaints.
A new IT system is in development by the Irish Prison Service which will facilitate audit reports.
88. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the services provided to persons with a mental illness while in prison; the personnel numbers and levels providing such services, by prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15849/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that in-reach mental health services are available in the Dublin and Portlaoise prisons, and Castlerea prison, through collaboration with the Health Service Executive, HSE, and the National Forensic Mental Health Service, NFMHS, to provide forensic mental health sessions weekly in these prisons.
The Irish Prison Service, in partnership and collaboration with the HSE, provides specialist in-reach, consultant led psychiatric services to those in custody in Limerick and Cork prisons. The HSE has confirmed that approval has been granted for the appointment of a consultant led team to both Limerick and Cork prisons. The HSE has also advised that arrangements are being finalised for the assignment of a consultant led mental health in-reach team to Castlerea Prison. The NFMHS also provides an assessment and liaison service for all other prisons where a prisoner requires a forensic assessment, or access to an admission bed in the Central Mental Hospital, CMH. Consultant forensic psychiatrists are leading these services and, in many settings, are supported by non-consultant hospital doctors, community psychiatric nurses, and social workers.
The Irish Prison Service has confirmed that the following personnel are employed by the NFMHS in providing its services to persons in custody:
Cloverhill - 1.5 WTE, whole time equivalent, consultant forensic psychiatrist, 2 WTE non-consultant house doctor, 3 WTE community psychiatric nurses, and 1 housing resettlement officer.
Wheatfield - 0.2 WTE consultant forensic psychiatrist, 2 WTE community psychiatric nurses, and 0.1 WTE consultant forensic psychiatrist for 17 year olds.
Mountjoy - 0.3 WTE consultant forensic psychiatrist, 0.2 WTE non-consultant house doctor, 2 WTE community psychiatric nurses, and 1.3 WTE social workers, for discharge planning.
Dochas - 0.2 consultant forensic psychiatrist, 0.2 non-consultant house doctor, 1 community psychiatric nurse, and 0.5 social worker.
Arbour Hill - 0.1 WTE consultant forensic psychiatrist, 0.1 WTE community psychiatric nurses.
Midlands Prison - 1.0 WTE consultant psychiatrist, and 2 WTE community psychiatric Nurses.
Portlaoise Prison - 0.2 WTE consultant forensic psychiatrist.
Castlerea - 0.6 WTE senior registrar, and 0.2 WTE community psychiatric nurse.
The Irish Prison Service has access to a limited number of places in the CMH for prisoners who require residential mental health treatment. There is currently an average of 20 prisoners each week awaiting transfer to the CMH.
The Irish Prison Service, in collaboration with the NFMHS, has established two dedicated areas where high support is provided to vulnerable prisoners with mental illness; D2 wing in Cloverhill Prison, for remand prisoners, and the high support unit in Mountjoy, for sentenced prisoners. Both units provide a dedicated area within the prison where mentally ill and vulnerable prisoners, who present with a risk of harm to self or to others, can be separated from the general prison population and are closely monitored in a safer environment.
A psychiatric in-reach and court liaison service, PICLS, is delivered by the HSE/CMH at Cloverhill Prison. The diversion system ensures as far as possible that those people presenting before the courts, or indeed at an earlier stage of the criminal justice system, where the infraction is a reflection of an underlying mental illness, are referred and treated appropriately. This approach has reduced the number of mentally ill people committed to prison.
The Irish Prison Service Psychology Service also plays a key role in the provision of mental health services for people in custody. Specifically, the psychology service provides various evidence-based primary, secondary and tertiary care talking therapies for people in custody who experience mental health difficulties. Interventions include "whole population initiatives" in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team to raise awareness of mental health, individual therapy and group based interventions.
The Irish Prison Service Psychology Service is currently comprised of six senior psychologists, 13 staff grade psychologists, one head of psychology, and 6 assistant psychologists.
All healthcare staff, including prison doctors, prison nurses, and locum healthcare staff, also provide ongoing support to all persons in custody.
89. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the person who or body that carried out the inspections of hospital or medical areas within prisons in each of the years 2012 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; the frequency of these inspections; if she is satisfied that the standards are equivalent to HIQA standards for general hospitals or medical centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15850/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Prison Service, IPS, that the inspection of healthcare areas within prisons is not within the remit of the Health Information Quality Authority, HIQA. However, the Irish Prison Service has developed the Irish Prison Service healthcare standards which are the basis on which prison healthcare services are delivered to all persons in custody.
The Irish Prison Service has previously engaged an independent evaluator to complete an audit of healthcare provision in individual prison institutions. Four independent audits were undertaken in 2014, and found that healthcare provision was considered to be in compliance with the existing healthcare standards.
The Irish Prison Service is currently engaged with the Department of Health in relation to a fundamental review of healthcare in prisons and the provision of healthcare services in prisons generally. The terms of reference for this review have been drafted and are to be agreed by both Departments.
