Parliamentary Question: Treatment of Prisoners

6th February 2007

 230. Mr. Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the procedures to ensure that packages of clothes, submitted by a family for a prisoner, reach that prisoner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3787/07]

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): Standard procedure in our closed prisons is that all properties of persons committed to custody must be recorded and searched before being issued to the prisoner. In the case of packages of clothing for prisoners, items are generally delivered to the visitor waiting room and each item of clothing or property is recorded in a journal before being taken to the prison reception area. The information recorded includes the date and time of delivery of the property, the name and address of the person who has delivered the property and the name of the prisoner for whom it is intended. On arrival in the reception area, the property is then recorded on a prisoner records system. The property is searched and checked for contraband at this point. Subject to everything being in order, the property is then placed in the prisoner's locker in the reception area. Prisoners may retrieve items of personal property from their lockers, on request to the Governor in accordance with the 1947 Rules for the Government of Prisons. If permission is given, the prisoner signs for the property on receipt of same and is advised that the property is received at his/her own risk.