Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1300. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice , further to Parliamentary Question No. 560 of 31 May, the level of vaccination that is required for critical mass at Cloverhill Prison; the current level of vaccination; and the procedures that are in place for prisoners who are vaccinated and wish to enjoy the re-instated rights and visitations as is in other prisons in the State to transfer to those prisons. [29406/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the restoration of prison regimes, including the restoration of physical visits, was implemented in July of 2021 in line with the vaccination status of the general prison population. As such, the restoration of physical visits to Cloverhill Prison was deferred at the time given the low vaccination acceptance in the prison which was significantly less than other prisons across the estate.
I can advise that physical visits recommenced at Cloverhill Prison in September, 2021, and all prisoners, with the exception of those in quarantine or isolation for Covid-19 reasons, have access to physical visits.
The Irish Prison Service has recently updated its quarantine procedures for new committals and as a result, new committals are now tested on the day of arrival and if a negative test result is returned they can enter general population on day four.
The Prison Service worked in partnership with the National Ambulance Service and the Health Service Executive since Covid-19 vaccinations became available to administer, as swiftly as possible, vaccinations to all those eligible and who consented to be vaccinated.
Whilst the idea has been to strive for maximum uptake of the vaccine, the reality in Cloverhill Prison is that the uptake was significantly less than in most other Prison Service locations. All prisoners arriving at Cloverhill, are canvassed for their vaccination status and arrangements are put in place to facilitate their vaccination schedule at the earliest opportunity. Currently the Prison Service accommodates first, second and both booster doses of the vaccine as clinically indicated and the Service works in conjunction with the HSE to ensure that the individual’s vaccine status is co-ordinated from both a pre and post custody perspective.
