Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to increase levels of investment in prison health and drug treatment over the lifetime of the Government; if he will commit to maintaining current levels of investment in prison health and drug treatment; if he will increase investment in reintegration support and resettlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35650/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Prison Service provides prisoners with the same standard of health care as members of the public who hold a medical card. Prisoners receive care through the primary care system (involving doctors, nurses and other in-reach health care professionals) which is delivered in each prison setting.

The Irish Prison Service continues to seek to enhance and expand health care services across the prison system. One such example is the opening of a High Support Unit in Mountjoy Prison in December 2010 with plans in train to establish similar units in other prisons. In parallel with that development, additional Drug Free Units will be coming on stream.

A critical component of prison health care is community links to services. The Irish Prison Service strives to improve these linkages as it is acknowledged that they are essential in providing effective throughcare and discharge planning bearing in mind that prisoners will at some stage return to the communities from which they came. Effective links in community settings ensure safe handover of care and help to reduce risk to both the prisoner and the community at large.