Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this important initiative. The Deputies are aware of the recent publication of a report from the Mental Health Commission on access to mental health services for people in the criminal justice system. It references the crisis intervention team pilot project in Limerick. The Minister for Justice is grateful to the inspector of mental health services and the Inspector of Prisons for their work on this important issue. The publication of the report is very timely. We know the healthcare needs of vulnerable and sometimes seriously ill people who interact with the criminal justice system are complex and require whole-of-system consideration and priority action. It is widely acknowledged these people are too ill to be in prison as they require urgent medication and treatment. There is a vital need to put in place properly resourced and appropriately located systems of care for those vulnerable people in society. This is also acknowledged in the programme for Government commitment to the establishment of a high-level cross-departmental cross-agency task force to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those in prison and primary care support on release.

The Deputies asked how long the pilot roll-out is. I do not have this information to hand. I will try to find out. The Limerick crisis intervention team is in consultation phase and is scheduled for implementation in the third and fourth quarters of next year. This is approximately six months from now. I will find out. I invite the Deputies to send an email to me or the Minister and we will try to get this detail for them. I do not have it to hand.

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