Parliamentary Question: Prison Building Programme and Prison Medical Service

3rd June 2004

153. Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the major trauma to prisoners' families by the proposed closure of Mountjoy Prison; if urgent action will be taken for the women's centre in view of the fact that they do not have adequate health facilities during the doctors dispute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16997/04]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell):  The single greatest concern brought to my attention and to the attention of my predecessors in regard to Mountjoy Prison is the need to replace the wholly outdated and unsatisfactory accommodation at the prison and thereby end the degrading and unacceptable practice of daily slopping out. I have already indicated my intention to meet this concern by replacing Mountjoy Prison with a new prison on a greenfield site so as to provide decent, hygienic conditions for prisoners in line with modern day standards.

I do understand that concern has been expressed at the possibility of the new replacement prison being located outside the city centre area. Such concern will be addressed in the criteria for selection of a suitable site for the new prison, by including the identification of possible mitigating factors such as public transport links.

As regards health services for women prisoners at the Dóchas centre, the Deputy will be aware that prison doctors, who are members of the Irish Medical Organisation, have been engaged in industrial action in pursuit of a pay claim since 4 May 2004. This action has involved the complete withdrawal of doctor services to prisoners, apart from circumstances where there is a real and immediate risk to human life and, as such, has created significant unnecessary hardship for this vulnerable group of patients. The Irish Prison Service has publicly stated that this level of emergency cover has proved inadequate and that the service has had no option but to seek the assistance of Defence Forces' doctors to attend prisoners in a limited number of Dublin prisons who are in need of urgent medical intervention. Defence Forces' doctors are providing an emergency service on this basis to the Dóchas centre.

I am concerned that normal doctor services be restored for prisoners at the earliest possible time. In the meantime, whatever assistance is available will be provided to support prison nurses and other staff, as well as Defence Forces' doctors, who are continuing to care for prisoners in very difficult circumstances.