Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners who currently have to slop out; the number of same who must do so while sharing cells; and his view on whether this constitutes a violation of prisoner human rights. [29550/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that there were 830 prisoners in custody on 12 October 2011 who did not have access to 24-hour in-cell sanitation. Of that number, 555 prisoners were in multiple-occupancy cells.

Unfortunately, this issue cannot be resolved overnight. However, I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to the elimination of slopping out in all prisons and places of detention. The Programme for Government includes the objective to provide in-cell sanitation to all prisons, and in so far as resources permit, to upgrade prison facilities where possible.

I share the view of the Thornton Hall Review Group that decisive action is required on a number of fronts in order to address the problem of overcrowding and poor physical conditions particularly in Mountjoy and Cork Prisons. As the Deputy will know, the Government has decided in principle to proceed with the construction of new prison facilities at Thornton Hall and also at Kilworth, County Cork, albeit on a much smaller scale and design to that previously envisaged. The timeframe for this project is currently being discussed in the context of the Government's discussions on capital spending priorities for 2012.

I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that 72% of prisoner accommodation has in-cell sanitation at present. This will rise to in excess of 80% when the extension currently under construction in the Midlands Prison is opened in 2012.

A refurbishment project is also nearing completion in the basement of the C-wing at Mountjoy Prison which will result in an additional 36 cells with in-cell sanitation coming on stream by October, 2011. In addition, work has commenced on a project to provide in-cell sanitation in the remaining 74 cells on the same wing which is expected to be completed by the end of the October. Depending on the findings of a post project appraisal, the Irish Prison Service will consider installing in-cell sanitation facilities in the remaining cells of Mountjoy and indeed to other facilities that do not have in-cell sanitation.

The Irish Prison Service also has toilet patrols in operation until late evening in Mountjoy, Cork and Limerick Prisons with staff rostered to provide this function after final lock in the evenings. Prisoners requesting to use toilet facilities after these times are accommodated where possible. The possibility of extending toilet patrols is being further examined by the Irish Prison Service.