Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

651. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the ratio of nurses and general practitioners to prisoners in each prison in February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14486/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care to persons in the penal system in Ireland is a priority for my Department and the Prison Service.

I understand that the prison healthcare service provides prisoners with access to the same range of quality of healthcare services as available under the medical card scheme in the community. The Prison Service Health Care Standards guide the provision of these health services to prisoners, reflecting the prison context and good clinical practice. These Standards have been published and further information is available on the Irish Prison Service website .

In total, I am informed that the Irish Prison Service currently has 13.6 General Practitioners (WTE) and 141 nurses employed across the prisons estate.

The following table, furnished to me by the Irish Prison Service, sets out the information requested by the Deputy on the ratio of nurses and general practitioners in Irish prisons and represents the position as at 29 February 2020.

It is important to note however that the Irish Prison Service states that the level of healthcare resources assigned to an individual prison is determined by the clinical needs of the population and is not solely based on the number of prisoners in that individual institution.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

652. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the ratio of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and addiction counsellors per prisoner per prison in February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14487/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care to persons in the penal system in Ireland is a priority for my Department and the Prison Service.

I understand that the prison healthcare service provides prisoners with access to the same range of quality of healthcare services as available under the medical card scheme in the community. The Prison Service Health Care Standards guide the provision of these health services to prisoners, reflecting the prison context and good clinical practice. These Standards have been published and further information is available on the Irish Prison Service website .

Specific attention is also paid to psychology and mental health. I understand that the Prison Service Psychology Service makes up part of the clinical and operational multi-disciplinary team in each prison and provides tailored psychological assessment and intervention services for people in custody. Psychological interventions include both individual and group based approaches, and are provided through a Stepped Model of Care.

I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Irish Prison Service and they have in turn requested certain of these details from the Health Service Executive. I will write directly to the Deputy when I receive the information.