Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1319. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a detailed update on roll-out of the hepatitis C testing and treatment programme in Cork prison; the reason that progress has not been made on the pilot programme which was announced and introduced in Cork prison in July; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29695/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1320. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to rolling out hepatitis C testing and treatment in prisons nationwide considering a significant number of those in prison have hepatitis C and the availability of a treatment programme in each prison would assist a large number of persons to have full recovery from the disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29696/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1319 and 1320 together.

All prisoners committed to prison are subject to a comprehensive medical assessment by the Prison Healthcare Team and Hepatitis C screening is offered to all new prisoners as part of this assessment.  Prisoners can request Hepatitis C screening through their local Prison Healthcare Team at any stage of their time in custody. If at any time a prisoner displays any signs and symptoms of hepatitis they are reviewed by a member of the Prison Healthcare Team and managed appropriately.

The National Hepatitis C Strategy and Treatment Programme aims to provide fair and equitable treatment in a timely manner to all those who require Hepatitis C treatment. In that regard, a number of treatment models have been developed, including a hospital treatment model and a community treatment model. If a prisoner, in any prison, requires treatment for Hepatitis C they are referred to specialist services in the acute hospital sector and necessary treatment is provided under the hospital treatment model, by relevant specialist clinical teams.

To support this model of service for those in the custody of the Prison Service, specific arrangements for the screening and treatment of Hepatitis C are in place in a number of prisons (Wheatfield, Cloverhill, Mountjoy, Dochas Centre and Midlands), whereby in-reach Hepatology services are provided on site in those prisons, by specialist teams from St James’s Hospital. In the remaining prisons, those requiring treatment attend the specialist services in the hospital setting.

The Prison Service continues to work with the HSE and the National Clinical Hepatitis C Lead to develop and implement a prison treatment model of care, which will replicate the community treatment model in a prison setting, initially in those prisons where this service is currently not available. This will facilitate the provision of treatment, to those who meet the criteria for that model of care, by the primary healthcare team in the prison.

Arrangements were agreed to progress a pilot prison treatment model in Cork Prison but unfortunately, due to resource issues, it was not possible to progress the pilot as planned. Prisoners who require this treatment continue to be managed under the hospital treatment model.  It is anticipated, however, that the required resources will shortly be in place to facilitate the provision of Hepatitis C treatment, to those eligible for same, by the primary care team in Cork Prison. It is hoped to advance this programme in Cork Prison later this year.

In time, it is anticipated that all those who can be appropriately treated for Hepatitis C by the primary care team in the prison will be treated under that model, while those who require specialist care will continue to be referred to the acute hospital setting.