Parliamentary Question: Prison Visiting Committees

25th March 2003

549. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of times in the past five years that his Department has asked prison visiting committees to use their power to hold sworn inquiries into disciplinary matters involving prisoners; and the number of times prison visiting committees have used their power to grant prisoners special privileges or impose punishments. [7902/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): 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. Section (3)(3) of the above Act which provided for the powers referred to by the Deputy was repealed by section 19(5) of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1997.
It is the normal practice of the visiting committees to raise all matters brought to their attention with the governor of the institution to which they have been appointed. In the vast majority of cases, the committee can satisfy itself in this manner that either the complaint is not justified or that the governor will take appropriate action to resolve the situation.

On occasion, prison visiting committees have requested the local prison authorities to grant special privileges to prisoners, such as an extra telephone call or extra time on a visit, which the authorities are normally able to facilitate.