Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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127. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the practice of recording calls between prisoners and their solicitors, which the Irish Prison Service first informed the Minister of in April 2014, has ceased, or if it continues to happen. [33721/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that it was never the practice of the Irish Prison Service to deliberately record calls between prisoners and their solicitors.

The inadvertent recording of a small number of phone calls between prisoners and their solicitors which came to light in April 2014 was the result of solicitors contacts being placed on phone lines outside of the designated solicitor line which enjoys confidential privileges.

All necessary steps have been taken to avoid a repeat of this situation reoccurring. This includes facilitating prisoners in listing more than one solicitor on the phone system. In addition where the relationship to the prisoner is stated as solicitor that contact number cannot be entered onto a phone line where recordings take place.

In the event of a prisoner placing a contact for their legal representative on a non designated solicitor line a voice message will prompt both the persons making and receiving the call that it is being recorded. This is applicable for all of the prisoner contacts listed outside the designated solicitor lines. The onus is on the prisoner when submitting their phone panel to clearly state the relationship status the contact has to them.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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128. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality how much the Irish Prison Service has paid to date in 2015 for maintenance and support, and software assurance for, the NICE recording system, given that a 24-month contract for such maintenance and support was put out to tender by the service in March 2014. [33722/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there has been a spend of €58,906 including VAT to date, for maintenance, support and software assurance of the system. The tender commenced in November 2014. The tender cost includes an upgrade to the Phone system.