Results 14,201-14,220 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Health (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Prison Service has advised that discussions have taken place with HIQA regarding the possibility of them conducting a review of Healthcare service delivery in prisons. HIQA has indicated that it is not in a position to conduct such a review at the present time. My Department is currently in communication with the Department of Health in relation to a fundamental review of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Health (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service does not record data in the format requested on the aggregate number of persons in its custody who are identified as having serious mental health difficulties owing to the requirement that it maintain the confidentiality of the medical records of the persons in its custody. A Psychiatric In-reach and Court Liaison Service is delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Facilities (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that In-reach mental health services are available in the Dublin and Portlaoise prisons, and Castlerea prison, through collaboration with the Health Service Executive (HSE), and the National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) to provide forensic mental health sessions weekly in these prisons. The Irish Prison Service, in partnership and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Facilities (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that between 2011 and 2016 the following staffing resources were allocated to the IPS Psychology Service at Director of Psychology, senior psychologist and psychologist grade 2 level are as outlined in the following table. 31/12/11 31/12/12 31/12/13 31/12/14 31/12/15 31/05/16 (WTE*) total 18.6 20.1 18 18 17.2 19.8 WTE* = whole time equivalent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Facilities (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the allocations attributable to Drugs Programmes in the Irish Prison Service in the period from 2011 to 2015 were: 2015€4.285M 2014€4.2M 2013€4.5M 2012€5.2M 2011€5.2M.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs in Prisons (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that any prisoner who enters the custody of the Irish Prison Services while presenting with addiction issues has access to specialist addiction services, and is actively encouraged to engage with those services. The Irish Prison Service has confirmed that the treatments available are based on the principles of best practice, and are similar...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Health (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has confirmed that all prisoners undergo a committal health screening by the Prison Nurse on their committal to custody, and within 24 hours by the Prison Doctor. This is a general health screen that includes a screen for Tuberculosis and a drug and virology screen which aims to identify previous testing for viral infections, current and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Accommodation Standards (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that figures in relation to cell occupancy levels are published on a quarterly basis on their website www.irishprisons.ie. The latest cell accommodation census was produced in April this year and showed that on 7 April, 2016 there was 3,782 prisoners in custody and 2,020 (approximately 53%) had access to single cells. It is clear, given the current...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Health (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that there are currently no plans to commit to a daily minimum of 12 hours out of cell activity for prisoners. I am further advised by the Irish Prison Service that it provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to persons in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Security (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there is no provision for solitary confinement of prisoners in their custody. However, the Deputy will appreciate that on occasion, it is necessary for vulnerable prisoners and others to be separated from the general prison population. The restriction of a prisoner's regime can occur due to a number of factors including the protection of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The question of the governance arrangements and relationship between my Department and the Irish Prison Service remains under consideration.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Welfare (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan sets out the commitment of the Prison Service to strengthen family supports to facilitate on-going contact with prisoners while in custody and their reintegration post release, with appropriate supports and programmes. The Director General of the Irish Prison Service established the Families & Imprisonment Group...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Strategies (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the Families and Imprisonment Strategy implementation is progressing as planned. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) Strategic Plan sets out the commitment of the Irish Prison Service to strengthen family supports to facilitate on-going contact with prisoners while in custody and their reintegration post release, with appropriate supports and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Accommodation (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the joint Probation Service/Irish Prison Service Women's Strategy 2014 - 2016, An Effective Response to Women Who Offend, published in 2014, the Irish Prison Service made a commitment to explore the development of an open centre/open conditions for women assessed as low risk of re-offending. This commitment was acknowledged in the Report on the Strategic Review of Penal Policy who also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The legislative basis for making decisions on temporary release is set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003. In September 2014 I published the report of the Penal Policy Review Group which was tasked with carrying out a strategic review of penal policy. The terms of reference for the Group included an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service have a multi agency approach to offender management and rehabilitation in order to reduce re-offending and improve prisoner outcomes. A new pre-release planning policy for the Irish Prison Service is at an advanced stage and will represent considerable improvements to current pre-release planning and practices in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the service is committed to managing custodial sentences in a way which encourages and supports prisoners in their endeavouring to live law abiding and purposeful lives as valued members of society. In order to achieve this aim the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service have a multi-agency approach involving considerable resources devoted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service Data (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: A total of €38.963 million in funding has been provided in the Probation Service in the 2016 Estimates.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Juvenile Offenders (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In general terms, Section 258 of the Children Act 2001 (as amended) provides a limited ‘‘clean slate’’ in respect of most offences committed by children. The application of this section is subject to a number of conditions including that the person was under the age of 18 when the offence was committed. There are no proposals currently under consideration to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (31 May 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the information requested by the Deputy is published daily on the Irish Prison Service website at www.irishprisons.ie.