Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of transporting members of the prison population from prison to hospitals for cosmetic procedures in the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34350/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that no prisoners were transported to hospital, in the years mentioned, for medical procedures for cosmetic reasons.

Prisoners have an entitlement to the same standard of healthcare as members of the public who hold a medical card. Most prisoners receive care through the primary care system (involving doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals) which is delivered in each prison setting. Where a doctor or other healthcare professional operating in a prison determines that a prisoner requires treatment in an external setting (emergency department, out patients department, surgical procedure etc), following a comprehensive clinical assessment, a referral is made to the public health system.

Where prisoners attend for hospital appointments, decisions regarding their clinical care is determined on the same basis as persons in the community accessing public health services.