Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the visits and the legal representation, in most instances, there is a hybrid model, where there is still availability for prisoners to speak to or engage with their legal representatives or family members via video link or Zoom. Family visits have returned, but not to full capacity in every prison, because, as people may be aware, outbreaks are still happening within our prisons, and it is important that the Prison Service is able to manage those. The intention is to get back to full capacity as soon as possible, acknowledging that, for some, the use of a hybrid model or video links is also satisfactory. That feeds into the work An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service are doing, working with the Prison Service on the modernisation programme. It is not necessarily always the case that a prisoner needs to travel, whether to a court or to a Garda station, to carry out the judicial process. We need to take some of the positive elements of the changes that have happened and apply them. That is beneficial not just for the prisoners, but also for resources, funding, timing, and managing a more effective system between the courts, gardaí and the Prison Service.

It is extremely important that family are allowed to visit. Where possible, that has been resumed, but it has to take on board the fact that outbreaks are still happening.