Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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270. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners who were placed in solitary confinement, either close confinement or close supervision cells, in each place of detention in each of the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date 2014. [47158/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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There is no provision for solitary confinement in the Irish Prison Service. However, the Deputy will appreciate that, on occasion, it is necessary for vulnerable prisoners and others to be separated from the general prison population.

The restriction of a prisoner's regime can occur due to a number of factors, including the protection of vulnerable prisoners. This is provided for under Rule 63 of the Prison Rules 2007. A prisoner may, either at his/her own request or when the Governor considers it necessary, in so far as is practicable and subject to the maintenance and good order and safe and secure custody, be kept separate from other prisoners who are reasonably likely to cause significant harm to him/her.

In addition, the Governor may decide, for the maintenance of good order in the prison, to remove a prisoner from general association or structured activity to reduce the negative effect that a prisoner or prisoners may have on the general population. This is provided for under Rule 62 of the Prison Rules 2007. There may also be a smaller number of prisoners who would be restricted for medical (Rule 64) or discipline reasons (Rule 67).

The fact that prisoners seeking protection are immediately separated from the general population or from specific prisoners identified as presenting a threat, clearly demonstrates the commitment of the Irish Prison Service to ensure their safety and security. The status of each prisoner on restricted regime within the prison system is regularly reviewed and they have access to full medical services. If possible, prisoners can be transferred to other institutions where a restricted regime would not be necessary.

The Irish Prison Service Statistics Unit commenced the collation of a quarterly Census of Restricted Regime Prisoners in 2013.

The number of prisoners on a Restricted Regime on 1 October 2014 is set out in the following table.