Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to hear the Minister of State say that because I believe flexibility is what we need. Not all situations are the same. There is not the same pressure in all prisons regarding visits. In the context of the health issue, I would make the case that the risk presented by two members of a family who live together is no different than the risk presented by three. If they live together, one would imagine that whatever one catches, the others do. The humane thing would be to make arrangements for children to be allowed visit over the Christmas period in both the male and female prisons. If prisoners require multiple visits, which people who do not have children will not, that should be facilitated. We are asking parents to make invidious choices between children. As I have said, not every prisoner has children. Many do not.

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