Parliamentary Question: Prison Visits

11th February 2004

287. Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that since January 2004, legal counsel have been barred from visiting their clients in Mountjoy Prison on Wednesdays; if this situation is the result of a ministerial order; and the actions he will take to ensure that legal counsel are permitted to meet with their clients on Wednesdays. [4360/04]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell):  In light of the revised financial budgets within which each prison has to operate, the management in Mountjoy Prison recently made the decision not to facilitate family visits to prisoners on Wednesdays. This decision was not intended to interfere with professional visits and no ministerial order prohibiting such visits has been issued.

There may have been some initial confusion on the part of prison staff as to the intent of these new procedures and a number of legal representatives were turned away from the main gate at Mountjoy Prison. Once he was made aware of these events, the governor of Mountjoy Prison instructed staff to ensure that professional visits are facilitated in the future. The governor has also indicated that if any member of the legal profession encounters difficulties in gaining admittance to Mountjoy Prison, they should contact his office immediately.