Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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163. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current status of the Irish Prison Service's Joint Task Review of Healtcare; the anticipated date of completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24902/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Joint Task Review of Healthcare in the Prison Service is an essential component of the overall programme of review and reform being undertaken in accordance with the terms of the Public Service Agreement 2010 – 2014. The Joint Task Review of Healthcare involves an in-depth analysis of the numbers of medical staff in each prison, and the individual tasks each of them is required to perform, in order to match these most effectively to the healthcare needs of prisoners.

The Healthcare Review, which is obviously co-dependent on the separate Joint Task Reviews of the prisons being finalised at present, must take account of the projected number and profile of prisoners and also any potential reductions in the resources available to the Prison Service resulting from the Public Service Agreement and the extension to this agreement currently under negotiation. I can confirm that the fieldwork in the Joint Task Review of Healthcare is approaching completion and it is expected that a report will be agreed between the staff and management sides shortly thereafter.