Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will look into the matter Deputy Clare Daly has raised.

On in-cell sanitation, we should provide in-cell sanitation in all prisons where it is currently absent. We are rolling out and completing an in-cell sanitation programme in Mountjoy Prison and, subject to the resources available to me, it is my objective to ensure we address this matter in all of our prisons. One of the reasons for building a new prison in Cork and providing a better facility is the impossibility of providing in-cell sanitation in Cork Prison. During a visit to Cork Prison shortly after my appointment I observed the very difficult conditions in the prison. While the prison is very well run by its governor and many programmes are available to prisoners, its structure is not adequate for the 21st century. We are addressing that issue.

We have different categories of prisoners, namely, prisoners who pose a threat to other prisoners and those who need to be protected from other individuals. Both types of circumstances give rise to individuals effectively being on their own in prison cells for extended periods. The Director General of the Irish Prison Service has established a high level group to look at measures to eliminate solitary confinement in the prison system. The group is giving priority to reducing the number of prisoners on rule 63. This is a voluntary procedure where a prisoner at risk asks to be moved into a cell on his or her own or where there is a requirement to do so, while ensuring that all such prisoners receive, as a minimum standard, exercise activity of three hours daily. The group will also seek to formulate a policy to reduce the number of prisoners on rule 63 where isolation is imposed, in other words, where the prisoner is placed in a cell on his or her own for the safety of others, and rule 62, with a view to improving the regime they face. I look forward to the completion of this work and doing what is possible within the current structure of our prisons. This issue is being factored into any construction that is taking place to improve the prison system or in the context of the construction of new prisons.

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