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Parliamentary Question: Prison Visiting Committees

1st December 2004

208. Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the names and addresses of the persons who have been appointed and re-appointed to prison visiting committees from 1 January 2004 to date; the number of politicians that have been appointed or re-appointed from 1 January 2004 to date; and if he received political representations on behalf of any of these persons. [31788/04]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): The table below sets out details of the individuals appointed and re-appointed to prison visiting committees from 1 January 2004 to date. It is not practice to furnish members' personal details and the table therefore outlines the county in which each member resides, rather than their individual addresses.

Name of Institution Name of Member County of Residence Date of Appointment (SEE ATTACHED TABLE FOR DOWNLOAD)

Members of prison visiting committees are, appointed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for a term not exceeding three years. At that point they are automatically removed from the committee and are either re-appointed for a further term or replaced by new members. No person can become a member of a visiting committee if he or she is in receipt of a salary paid out of the central fund other than a Member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann. I am not clear as to precisely what the Deputy means in relation to the number of politicians that have been appointed or re-appointed from 1 January 2004 to date. No Members of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann have been appointed or re-appointed to the prison visiting committees during this period.

Since becoming Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform it is my practice to appoint all new members of prison visiting committees to a prison in their home county or a neighbouring county.

Appointments to the visiting committees are made by me on foot of representations, usually either by individuals nominating themselves or from local representatives nominating a constituent. I can confirm that representations by elected representatives were received by me in relation to nominating some of these individuals for appointment and re-appointment during these period.

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