Parliamentary Question: Prison Medical Service

30th January 2002

1000. Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the resources available from psychologists and psychiatrists to prisons in the Dublin area; if the resources have been reduced recently; if so, the reasons for same; if services of lay chaplains are intended to complement or assist professional services; the timetable for the introduction and extension of chaplains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2301/02]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue): Psychiatric services to prisons in the Dublin area are provided by doctors attached to the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum. At present a total of 21 clinical sessions per week are provided to the various Dublin prisons. There has been no decrease in this input recently. On the contrary, recent increases in staff resources allocated to the Central Mental Hospital have enabled a gradual increase in the overall provision to Dublin prisons and, in particular, in the overall clinical supervision at consultant level in that setting.

Eight full-time psychologists and one part-time psychologist are currently employed by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform providing a psychology service in the prisons and places of detention. Due to the recent resignation of one of the Dublin based psychologists it has not been possible to maintain the level of service previously provided in the Dóchas centre and the training unit. However, it is intended to fill this vacancy from an ongoing recruitment competition in the very near future. It is also intended to restructure the psychology service and sanction has been obtained from the Department of Finance to increase this service to an overall complement of one chief psychologist, three senior psychologists and 11 grade 2 psychologists thereby providing an improved service to prisoners and a better career structure for psychologists. This expansion of the service is to take place in the context of its transfer to the Irish Prison Service which will take direct responsibility for psychological services to prisoners in future.

With regard to prison chaplains, at present one head chaplain, 19 full-time chaplains, including one lay chaplain, and five part-time chaplains are employed nationwide by the Irish Prison Service. The services of the lay chaplain complement the services of other chaplains. There are no plans currently to alter the level of chaplaincy services but as is the case with all services operating in the prisons and places of detention the services provided by chaplains are kept under review.