Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 470: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to ensure effective and independent monitoring and inspections of places of detention and to ratify the optional protocol to the UN Convention against Torture to guarantee this obligation. [19295/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of the Inspector of Prisons, was established on a statutory independent basis under Part 5 of the Prisons Act 2007. Under section 31 of that Act, the Inspector shall carry out regular inspections of prisons and to that end may enter any prison at any time. Particular issues of concern identified in the course of such an investigation may be brought by the Inspector to the attention of the Director-General of the Irish Prison Service or the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Inspector is required to submit an annual report on the exercise of his or her functions containing details relating to each of the prisons inspected, in particular, addressing the general management of any prison inspected; conditions and health and welfare of its prisoners; conduct and effectiveness of persons working in the prison; compliance with national and international practices; programmes and facilities available to prisoners and the level of participation in such; security and discipline.

In addition to the general function relating to the inspection of prisons, the Inspector may also investigate any matter relating to the management and/or operation of a prison. On completion of such an investigation a report shall be submitted to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform a copy of which will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and published. Ireland signed the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 2 October, 2007 and preliminary work on draft legislation to enable ratification has commenced in my Department.