Seanad debates

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Lynn RuaneLynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo what Senator Hoey said about the health committee meeting. I had to turn off the camera at one stage as I thought I was going to have a panic attack. I thought I had been hurled through time, given everything I have stood for in this Chamber over the last six years and hoped that people were listening to me. I felt very disheartened and sad. I thought: "What is the point in me constantly speaking about this issue?" when I listened to the Minister of State, who is now two years into the role. I believe my 14-year-old could have engaged better on the issue in the health committee meeting today. I am absolutely appalled that this is where we are, two years into his term of office.

However, that is not the reason I stand to speak today. We have had many conversations over the years about the impacts of Covid-19 on people, schools, education and the health sector, but we have had very little discussion about its impact on those in the prison system. I do a lot of work on education in schools in the prison system. When we think about education we do not think about education within the institutions where we detain people. People there do not have access to their families, as they usually would. At home, we can have telephone calls, we can have FaceTime meetings and we can talk to our loved ones when we have to go into isolation. However, when one is in a prison, one is in a prison within a prison within a prison because one will be locked down for up to 12 or 14 days for being a close contact. We also have not set up the health system properly in the prison system to be able to offer vaccinations adequately on intake in terms of the COVAX system.A prisoner in Mountjoy wrote to me. He lost one of his jobs within the prison because he would have to shave his beard to be able to use the masks that are now required to be worn. For some people, it is a big deal to be asked to shave their beard. That could be for religious or cultural reasons, but it could also be that the person feels vulnerable. Facial hair for men can sometimes be far more than something they think looks well; it can be a way to hide themselves and hold themselves. There is a significant amount happening within the prison system. In fairness to the Irish Prison Service, it is trying to deal with this issue in the context of what is already quite a difficult situation in terms of outbreaks. I ask the Leader to consider facilitating a debate on the impact of Covid-19 on those in prison.

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