Parliamentary questions

Proposed Legislation

Jonathan O'Brien

42. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the date on which he will publish a new Bill regarding immigration. [39330/12]

Local Government Reform

Jonathan O'Brien

84. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the report on the realignment of local government; and when same will be published. [39074/12]

Army Barracks Closures

Jonathan O'Brien

1329. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Defence in view of recent closures of military barracks across the State his plans, in the context of the policy of reconfiguring the Defence Forces, for the barracks in the Curragh, County Kildare; if he will provide an indication that current employment levels and pay rates for those attached to the Curragh Barracks will be maintained. [37681/12]

Cancer Screening Programme

Jonathan O'Brien

748 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health the resources that have been allocated to the roll-out of the colorectal screening programme.
[36376/12]

Cancer Screening Programme

Jonathan O'Brien

749 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that multi-annual funding is in place to deliver bowel cancer screening by the end of this year.
[36377/12]

Cancer Screening Programme

Jonathan O'Brien

752 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that the bowel cancer screening programme is extended to persons aged 55 to 74 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36380/12]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Jonathan O'Brien

750 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for a colonoscopy on 16 July 2012; the number of these persons waiting more than three months for the procedure; the number of these persons waiting more than five months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36378/12]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Jonathan O'Brien

751 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the capacity of hospitals to allow them to deliver colonoscopy procedures where there is an increased demand for colonoscopies
[36379/12]

Cultural Policy

Jonathan O'Brien

14 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the Australian Government’s initiative regarding arts and culture, which had been designed to radically change the country’s creative landscape over a ten year period with the specific aim of creating a more enlightened, cohesive and creative citizenry; his plans to introduce a similar initiative in Ireland by way of a national cultural policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35429/12]

National Cultural Institutions

Jonathan O'Brien

48 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to introduce a cultural rights framework that would have the capacity to foster self expression, self esteem, creativity and civic participation, a rights system that would have the capacity to take account of the human person, especially of those voices unheard or marginalised in our society; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35434/12]

Community Employment Schemes

Jonathan O'Brien

26 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the financial review of community employment including a date for the publication of the report.
[34953/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme

Jonathan O'Brien

38 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make provisions for rent supplement to be paid directly to landlords.
[34952/12]

Drug Courts

Jonathan O'Brien

541 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the resources allocated to the drugs court; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34832/12]

Temporary Release of Prisoners

Jonathan O'Brien

537 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners currently participating in the community return programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34828/12]

Prison Committals

Jonathan O'Brien

538 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to figures that show that the prison population increased to 4,493 as of 14 June 2012, up from 4,288 on 22 June 2011; his plans to decrease the prison population; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34829/12]

Commencement of Legislation

Jonathan O'Brien

539 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the date on which the Fines Act with the necessary ICT systems in place will commence.
[34830/12]

Community Service Orders

Jonathan O'Brien

540 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to resource the community service schemes and the resources currently allocated.
[34831/12]

Mental Health Services

Jonathan O'Brien

542 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the resources allocated to the Cloverhill mental health prison inreach and court liaison service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34833/12]

Sentencing Policy

Jonathan O'Brien

543 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to respond to the recent Law Reform Commission consultation paper on mandatory sentencing; if his Department has reviewed the effectiveness of current laws relating to sentencing for drugs offences; if he intends to repeal or amend the statutory provisions on mandatory and presumptive sentencing.
[34834/12]

Prison Building Programme

Jonathan O'Brien

544 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on renovation plans for Cork, Mountjoy in Dublin, and Limerick prisons; and his plans to ensure that overcrowding in those prisons is not exacerbated during renovation work.
[34835/12]

Prison Accommodation

Jonathan O'Brien

545 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to ensure that replacement of outdated accommodation must not be used to expand overall prison capacity.
[34836/12]

Inspector of Prisons

Jonathan O'Brien

546 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the new Inspector of Prisons will have the powers to compel witnesses to give evidence; the level of involvement the family of a deceased prisoner will have; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34837/12]

Prisoner Complaints Procedures

Jonathan O'Brien

547 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will establish an office of a prisoner’s ombudsman.
[34838/12]

Juvenile Offenders

Jonathan O'Brien

548 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the interim measures in place to improve the regime at St. Patrick’s Institution, Dublin, during the two year period while the new facility is being built at Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin.
[34839/12]

Prison Committals

Jonathan O'Brien

549 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service bring forward a strategy for diverting women offenders away from prison as a matter of urgency; if he will give increased consideration to open facilities and residential therapeutic centres for women offenders.
[34840/12]

Penal Policy Review Group

Jonathan O'Brien

550 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the proposed Penal Policy Review Group.
[34841/12]

National Crime Strategy

Jonathan O'Brien

551 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the development of a national crime strategy.
[34842/12]

Prisoner Privacy

Jonathan O'Brien

552 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to a recent court case where prisoner correspondence was found to have been leaked to a national newspaper; the steps that have been taken to investigate breaches of prisoner privacy; the steps taken to ensure against future breaches such as this; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34843/12]

Irish Prison Service

Jonathan O'Brien

553 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners on protection in each prison; the number of these prisoners locked up for 23 hours or more and the prisons they are in for 22 to 23 hours, for 20 to 22 hours, for 18 to 20 hours in a normal day, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34844/12]

Irish Prison Service

Jonathan O'Brien

554 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the length of time prisoners are being held on 23 hour lock up regime; the longest period in which they may be held like this; if there are any limits on the period for which a prisoner can be held on 23 hour lock up; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34845/12]

Prison Accommodation

Jonathan O'Brien

555 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners still slopping out; the number of these prisoners in shared cells; the locations of these prisoners; and the number of prisoners who still have to use the toilet in the presence of other prisoners.
[34846/12]

Irish Prison Service

Jonathan O'Brien

556 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of children and adults who were held in special observation cells in 2011; the duration of time they were held in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34847/12]

Prison Medical Service

Jonathan O'Brien

557 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the policies in place with regard to prescription drugs in each prison; the number of prisoners being prescribed benzodiazepines in each prison; the names of medicines not available to prisoner patients under the current model for delivery of medical service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34848/12]

Prison Medical Service

Jonathan O'Brien

558 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners on waiting lists for drug treatment services, counselling services, in each prison; the method by which the prison service ensure continuity of care for drug using prisoners.
[34849/12]

Prisoner Medical Records

Jonathan O'Brien

559 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners with long-term illnesses in each of the prisons.
[34850/12]

Prison Medical Service

Jonathan O'Brien

560 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if qualified medical staff are available in prisons at all times; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34851/12]

Prison Dental Service

Jonathan O'Brien

561 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality with regard to dental care, where a prisoner requires treatment beyond the cost limit set by the Health Service Executive, the options that are available to that patient.
[34852/12]

Prison Regulations

Jonathan O'Brien

562 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the policies in place to ensure that the needs of prisoners with special dietary requirements, such as diabetics, are met.
[34853/12]

Deaths in Prison

Jonathan O'Brien

563 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deaths in prison custody that occurred in 2011; the number of deaths in prison custody in the first six months of 2012; and if he will provide a breakdown of the types of deaths in custody in each prison.
[34854/12]

Prison Committals

Jonathan O'Brien

564 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of women currently in prison custody; the number of those women on remand; and the number of those women serving a sentence of less than one year.
[34855/12]

Prisoner Transfers

Jonathan O'Brien

565 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of transfers that were effected within the prison system in 2011; the number of these that were involuntary; and the circumstances in which an involuntary transfer may take place.
[34856/12]

Prisoner Transfers

Jonathan O'Brien

566 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the highest number of transfers for an individual prisoner during sentence or in a year for each of the past four years; the number of prisoners transferred more than five times; and the number of prisoners transferred more than ten times.
[34857/12]

Prisoner Safety

Jonathan O'Brien

567 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if seat belts are routinely provided to prisoners during transfers; and the safety measures in place to ensure prisoner safety during transport.
[34858/12]

Prison Committals

Jonathan O'Brien

568 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons imprisoned for fine default during 2011; the number of persons imprisoned for fine default during the first six months of 2012.
[34859/12]

Prisoner Gratuity Payments

Jonathan O'Brien

569 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the proposed reduction in the standard prisoner gratuity, the steps he will put in place to ensure that no prisoner is exposed to undue hardship, particularly when the prisoner does not have family or other external financial support.
[34860/12]

Prison Visiting Regulations

Jonathan O'Brien

570 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners who had family visits withdrawn as punishment in 2011.
[34861/12]

Prison Visiting Regulations

Jonathan O'Brien

571 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of visitors who were excluded from visits or offered a screened visit in 2011; and the current procedures in place for families to make a complaint regarding visits and or to challenge the refusal of a visit.
[34862/12]

Prison Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

572 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if prison officers receive any specialist training with regard to family visits.
[34863/12]

Prisoner Complaints Procedures

Jonathan O'Brien

573 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of complaints made by prisoners in each prison during 2011; the number of these which were upheld; the number of these that were appealed; and the subject matter of these complaints.
[34864/12]

Prison Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

574 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the training provided to staff on the way to support prisoners making a complaint.
[34865/12]