Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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137. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of places the Irish Prison Service has access to in the Central Mental Hospital for prisoners who require residential mental health treatment; and the average waiting times for transfer to the hospital. [9911/17]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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138. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the only option for residential treatment for a person in prison is a transfer to the Central Mental Hospital, where the person in prison requires residential inpatient treatment for a mental health condition. [9912/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that persons in custody who require residential mental health treatment can be admitted to the Central Mental Hospital following assessment by the National Forensic Mental Health Service on the basis of assessed clinical need. The Irish Prison Service has confirmed that it has access to a limited number of places in the Central Mental Hospital for prisoners who require residential mental health treatment. The waiting list for admission is managed by the National Forensic Mental Health Service on the basis of assessed clinical need. There is currently an average of 20 prisoners each week awaiting transfer to the Central Mental Hospital and the Irish Prison Service does not record data on the average waiting times for transfer to the Central Mental Hospital.