Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Jul 1996

Vol. 467 No. 7

Written Answers. - Prison Deaths Report.

Liz O'Donnell

Question:

266 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Justice the number of the 57 recommendations of the Prison Deaths report of 1991 that have been implemented; the recommendations, if any, that have not been implemented; if so, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14144/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

Fifty-two of the 57 suicide prevention recommendations made by the Advisory Group on Prison Deaths have been or are currently in the course of being implemented.

The remaining five recommendations include the provision of a committal assessment centre, a new female prison designed to meet the specific needs of women prisoners, with a level of services appropriate to them and the establishment of a unit to cater for psychiatrically disturbed violent prisoners. These recommendations are more longterm in nature, a fact which was acknowledged by the advisory group and will be implemented in the context of the overall development of the prison system. The other two recommendations involve the establishment of a formalised information sharing system between the Garda, the Courts and the Prison Service on persons who are considered to be a suicide risk. Such an informal system has existed for many years with the active co-operation of all concerned and has worked well to date.

The last recommendation concerns the setting up of liaison meetings at each institution to discuss the cases of offenders who are considered as presenting management problems for psychiatric, psychological or discipline reasons. Such an informal system is in existence for years whereby the more complex cases are discussed at monthly review meetings and case conferences involving representatives from outside agencies where necessary. Officials from my Department are also in regular contact with governors from each institution in relation to such cases. In the circumstances, I am not sure of the necessity of re-introducing liaison meetings for this specific purpose but I am prepared to give the matter further consideration.

I have also recently established a national steering group, overseeing the local suicide awareness groups in the institutions, under the chairmanship of a senior prison governor. The committee includes in its membership some of the most experienced representatives of prison management and staff and medical practitioners who are very involved in prison work. The group met for the first time last week and will be reviewing and overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Prison Deaths published in 1991. The group will also provide a forum for collating the reports of the local suicide awareness groups within the institutions and disseminating significant findings or lessons learned through the prison system. Trends in prison suicide in other countries and their prevention will also be monitored.