Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has expressed his concerns to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the fact that a number of prisoners in the republican segregated unit of HMP Maghaberry are a long time on remand awaiting trial, which amounts to a form of internment; the response from the Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28004/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware that the Deputy has raised concerns about the length of the time some prisoners in the separated regime spend on remand prior to facing trial. My officials have engaged with the Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Justice in relation to the concerns raised by the Deputy. A recent NI Audit Office report showed that there are significant delays in delivering justice in Northern Ireland; for example the average length of time from the reporting of a crime to completion of Crown Court proceedings is 515 days (over 17 months) which is twice as long as in England and Wales. In such a context, the time spent on remand is considered to be unacceptably high. The report found that the progress of cases through the system is punctuated by practices and processes that are not efficient and that work against the timely delivery of justice. The report made a number of recommendations which would shorten the time spent on remand, including the removal of the committal process; implementing such reforms would require a locally elected Justice Minister to be in place. With regards to the number of prisoners currently on remand awaiting trial in the separated regime at Maghaberry prison, I understand that there are currently two such prisoners.