Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that Rule 17 of the Prison Rules 2007 makes provision for a child to remain in the care of their mother in prison, until the child has reached twelve months of age.

I can further advise the Deputy that pregnant women in the custody of the Prison Service receive all of their antenatal care and education through the services of the local HSE Maternity hospital. Access to antenatal care is provided on a par with expectant mothers who live in the community.

Due to the specific needs of a number of the women who are pregnant, specialist HSE services have a very close and responsive working relationship with both prison management and the prison healthcare team.  Most women receive all their antenatal care external to the prison in routine antenatal clinics in the local maternity hospital. When needed and in cases of emergency, specialist midwives will attend the prison; however, this is not normally required.

Expectant mothers are always facilitated to have their children born in hospital. The Prison Service has a mother and baby unit in the Dochas Centre. Expectant mothers are transferred from Limerick Prison to the Dochas Centre during their last trimester and remain there as long as their baby remains with them.

The Deputy will be aware that the construction of a new prison facility to provide accommodation for 50 female prisoners in Limerick Prison is scheduled to become operational later this year.  This development will enhance the facilities within the Limerick Female Unit to care for pregnant prisoners and provide a number of areas where the care of mothers and babies can be facilitated in the most appropriate way.

The Deputy may wish to note that the number of babies born to women while in prison, when compared to the number who have been in prison while pregnant, is very low.

One baby resided with their mother in custody in 2022, the baby was born in the community prior to the mother’s committal.

The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the tables below.

The number of pregnant women who have been cared for in Prison in 2022

*The Deputy may wish to note that the above counts are not of unique individual prisoners. In addition, there may be overlaps in particular between the figures for Dóchas and Limerick.  

The number of babies born to pregnant women in Prison in 2022.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I requested information from the Irish Prison Service to reply to the Deputy but unfortunately it was not possible to collate the information in the time allowed. I will respond directly to the Deputy once this information is collated.