Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects to be in a position to publish the preliminary observations of the recent visit to Ireland from 25 January to 5 February in 2010 by the committee for the prevention of torture investigating conditions of detention in prisons, and examining the safeguards in place in Garda stations and also the findings of their investigation of the conditions in psychiatric institutions and an establishment for the intellectually disabled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7818/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which operates under the aegis of the Council of Europe, was established under the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment in 1997.

The Committee visited Ireland for the fifth occasion from the 25th January to the 5th February, 2010. The CPT submits a formal report of its visit to the Irish Government, which is subsequently published along with the Government's response. The timing and content of the publication of the observations of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is a matter in the first instance for the Committee itself. The Committee made an oral presentation of its preliminary observations at the end of its recent visit to Ireland and indicated that it received excellent cooperation both before and during the visit. The CPT issued a press statement on the 9th February indicating the places visited during the visit and to the best of my knowledge this will be the extent of their public communication on the visit until later in the year.

The Committee has advised that it will submit its detailed report later this year and seek a written response from the Government. As the Deputy and the House will be aware it has been the practice for Ireland to request that the Committee publish simultaneously its observations and the State's response.