Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of nurses and medical orderlies employed in each of the prisons here. [7764/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides general healthcare services for the assessment, treatment and care of prisoners comparable to that available to those entitled to General Medical Scheme services in the community and which are appropriate to the prison setting. Primary care is the model of care through which healthcare is delivered; it is the linchpin of the prison healthcare system. The primary care service is provided using a multidisciplinary model and intra-disciplinary working processes and strives to provide proactive healthcare with a focus on health awareness and preventative medicine.

Each prison has a complement of nurses, medical orderlies and attendance by a prison doctor commensurate with the healthcare needs and prison population of the institution. The Irish Prison Service currently employs 3 full-time and 15 part-time doctors. In addition, a total of 135.5 nursing staff are employed, details of which are set out in the table:

*Complex Nurse Manager covering Wheatfield and Cloverhill Prisons

**Complex Nurse Manager covering Portlaoise and Midlands Prisons.

*** Complex Nurse Manager covering Mountjoy/ St. Patrick's Institution/Dóchas and the Training Unit

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prison medical staff who have retired this month. [7765/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that one nurse officer intends to retire with effect from 28 February, 2012.