Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the concern expressed in the 2004 report of the Arbour Hill visiting committee regarding the circumstances of the suicide of two prisoners and particularly the absence of a dedicated psychiatrist; the steps which are being taken to address the concerns raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21466/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am aware of the contents of the 2004 report of the Visiting Committee of Arbour Hill Prison, which was presented to me on 12 January 2005. The full text of the visiting committee's report has been publicly available on the website of my Department since 5 April 2005.

I deeply regret that two suicides of prisoners occurred at Arbour Hill Prison in January 2004 and in August 2004, respectively. In its report, the visiting committee drew to my attention the circumstances of these two deaths and, furthermore, that in October 2004 a third case of attempted suicide by a prisoner at the prison had been averted by the vigilance of prison officers. Separately in its report, the committee itemised the health care available in the prison and stated its conclusion that "the absence of a dedicated Psychiatrist remains a cause of concern and is pertinent to the "suicide issue" dealt with in greater detail in this report". The committee also set forth several recommendations including one stating that "Arbour Hill's Psychiatric and Psychological services be enhanced and extended and existing shortfall in Psychologists be addressed immediately."

In view of the circumstances of the two deaths referred to by the visiting committee, including concern about the return to the prison of the inmates after short stays at the Central Mental Hospital the matter was formally raised with both the Governor of Arbour Hill Prison and the clinical director of the Central Mental Hospital to establish whether there were any circumstances pertaining which might merit review to lessen the risk of similar incidents in the future. The consensus was that the overall risk presented was appropriately recognised and all reasonable steps were taken to meet the needs of the prisoners involved. As regards duration of stay at the Central Mental Hospital, the position is that decisions regarding the admission of prisoners to the Central Mental Hospital are taken by consultants from that hospital based on clinical indications. Similarly, clinical decision processes apply to the return of prisoners when sufficiently recovered, as pertained in the cited cases.

In relation to psychiatric services, the position at Arbour Hill Prison, and the other prisons in the Dublin area, is that visiting psychiatric services are provided to the prison on a regular basis by psychiatrists based at the Central Mental Hospital. This consultant-led service undertakes regular weekly clinics in the prison together with regular input from a community forensic psychiatric nurse. The present input is felt to be adequate for the needs given the population of Arbour Hill Prison. However, given the increasing prevalence of mental disorder among the prison population, the overall adequacy of psychiatric provision across the prison system is being kept under ongoing review.

In relation to shortfall of a psychologist at Arbour Hill Prison, the position is that a new psychologist took up duty at the prison on 30 May 2005 bringing the complement of psychologists there to two.