Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank Mr. Clinton and Mr. Mitchell for their presentation. I would like to raise a few points. I wonder how much contact the association has with the Minister and the Department of Justice and Equality. Does it deal mainly with the Irish Prison Service? There is broad agreement that things could be much better for prisoners, prison officers and staff. It is agreed that things need to change. How can we make change a reality? Do the witnesses feel the prisons are understaffed? Are prison officers under-resourced to do the job they would like to do? How would Mr. Clinton and Mr. Mitchell regard the level of staff morale at present? I agree with Deputy O'Callaghan that people with mental health issues should not be in prison. We have been led to understand that up to 70% of the prison population have mental health challenges in one area or another. It seems that judges are going to keep sending people to prison irrespective of their problems.

People with mental health issues are ending up in prison. The judge does not have anywhere else to put them and the State is not providing facilities and means to deal with these people in a different way so we are using prison to deal with them. The prison officers are not being trained to deal with them as it is not their area. This all seems a bit mad. I know a small unit is being built in the midlands, which is a good idea but it is clearly a token gesture. It is not near enough to meeting the challenges of the problem. What can be done in the area?

A separate issue is the management of prisons, which to the best of my knowledge is still based in Longford. Would it make more sense to have it in Dublin? The witnesses have stated the majority of people who are in solitary confinement are there by their own request. The problem is that gang culture is alive and well. Challenging that must be very difficult. Does the delegation agree it needs to be challenged? Rather than being happy with saying that a prisoner is in solitary confinement because he wants to be because of another problem, surely we must deal with that other problem. Is that an impossible task? Does it require a new apparatus? It probably needs more resources and perhaps a different structure within the prison itself. What are the thoughts of the witnesses? Is it possible to address the major problem with gangs?