Parliamentary Question: Prison Visiting Committees

2nd April 2003

209. Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the names of the persons from County Wexford who were appointed to prison visiting committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9147/03]

212. Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the names of persons from County Wexford he has nominated to prison visiting committees since his appointment; the prison to which they have been assigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9151/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 212 together.
As I previously explained to the House, a visiting committee is appointed to each prison under the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act 1925 and Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order 1925. Members of committees are appointed by the Minister for a term not exceeding three years. At that point they may be either reappointed for a further term or are replaced by new members. The membership of each committee is drawn from a wide spectrum of society to ensure that the needs of prisoners are understood and met. This is the long standing practice used by successive Ministers in appointing members to the prisons visiting committees.

I can inform the Deputy that I recently appointed Mr. John Murphy from County Wexford to the visiting committee at Shelton Abbey Place of Detention.