Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

288. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of remand prisoners that are mixed with sentenced prisoners across the prison estate; and the prisons in which this is occurring. [32275/17]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

289. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of sentenced prisoners currently held in Cloverhill Remand Prison; and the number of sentenced prisoners that are sharing cells with remand prisoners in that prison. [32276/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together.

Rule 71 of the 2007 Prison Rules refers to Separate Accommodation and states:

'Unconvicted prisoners shall, in so far as is practicable and subject to the maintenance of good order and safe and secure custody, be accommodated in areas that are separate from those in which convicted prisoners are accommodated or to which convicted prisoners have access, and convicted prisoners shall, as far as is practicable, not be permitted access to areas to which unconvicted prisoners have access at those times when unconvicted prisoners have such access.

The Deputy may be aware that there is currently one prison in the Estate dedicated as a remand prison, namely Cloverhill Prison. I wish to also advise the Deputy that there are currently major works being undertaken in Cloverhill Prison in order to fully upgrade the fire alarm system and sprinklers, resulting in the temporary closure of parts of the prison and reduced bed capacity. Whilst every effort is taken by individual local prison management to minimise the accommodation of remand and sentenced prisoners together - in accordance with the Prison Rules - the Deputy will appreciate that it is not always possible to guarantee same.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that on Thursday 6 July 2017 a total number of 92 remand prisoners were accommodated alongside sentenced prisoners broken down as follows.

I am further advised by the Irish Prison Service that on the same date there were 24 sentenced prisoners in custody in Cloverhill Remand Prison. Six of those were in single occupancy cells while 18 were sharing a cell with remand prisoners on that date.