I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 to 267, inclusive, together.
I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the level of maternity care provided to women in custody, is comparable to that available to women in the community. It is provided on a shared care arrangement between the maternity hospital to which the patient is referred, and the Healthcare Team in the Dochas or Limerick Prison.
The Health Service Executive is responsible for ante-natal education services and the number of these classes is a matter for the Health Service Executive and the hospital to which the patient is referred.
Expectant mothers are always facilitated to have their children born in hospital and no babies have been born within the confines of a prison.
The Irish Prison Service can confirm that there is a mother and baby unit in the Dochas Centre. Expectant mothers are transferred from Limerick Prison to the Dochas Centre during their last trimester and remain there as long as their baby remains with them.
The prison rules provide for a child to remain in the care of their mother in prison, until the child has reached twelve months of age. Presently there are no babies in custody.
The number of pregnant women that have been cared for in prison in each of the years 2016 to date is set out in the following table.
Prison
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
Dochas
|
Data prior to 2017 was not recorded in this format, it was retained on individual files
|
17
|
16
|
19
|
Limerick
|
7
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
The Irish Prison Service has not previously provided the above data owing to concerns that patient confidentiality could be compromised. However having reviewed this matter the Irish Prison Service is now satisfied that the disclosure of this data does not impinge on patient confidentiality.
The number of babies born to pregnant women in prison in each of the years 2016 to date is set out in the following table.
Prison
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
Dochas
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
0
|