Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1298. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the funds that have been allocated by her Department to the Irish Prison Service from 2012 to present for inmates in the Midlands Prison who have Crohn's disease, diabetes, colitis or other illnesses heavily dependent on special dietary needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29367/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1299. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting time for an inmate in the Midlands Prison with special dietary needs to attend a dietician from date of a prison referral to the date of attendance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29368/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1298 and 1299 together.
I am advised that the Irish Prison Service provides a primary health care service for prisoners at all sites across the prison estate and that prisoners are eligible for specialist referral if required. The Prison Service aims to provide prisoners with access to the same scope and quality of health services available under the General Medical Card scheme in the wider community.
I am advised that the specific information on the average waiting time for an inmate in the Midlands Prison with special dietary needs to attend a dietician from date of a prison referral to the date of attendance is not recorded centrally. Extracting this information from the Prisoner Healthcare Management System would require a manual examination of individual prisoner records which would take an inordinate amount of time and staff resources.
If a prisoner is referred by the health care team in the Midlands Prison to the Health Services Executive for a dietetic review, the process is then managed by the Executive. The average waiting time to attend a consultation with a dietician would be equivalent to patients with similar needs in the wider community.
The Prison Service caters daily to the nutritional needs of approximately 4,000 prisoners in it's custody. Under the Prisons Vote, funding is provided on a broad basis to meets the costs of catering for prisoners in all prisons and with a range of dietary requirements. Within the Service, provision is made for annual catering budgets for each prison to cater for all diets. Prisons are transitory in nature and dietary requirements will vary on a weekly and/or daily basis. The Prison Service Catering Service provides a nutritionally balanced, varied diet to all prisoners through the 28 day menu which also caters for vegetarian and special diets. The menu is kept under active review and is designed to deliver 2,500 calories for men and 2000 calories for women, in line with FSAI guidelines.
