2416. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons currently held on remand who are awaiting a psychiatric assessment, transfer to a hospital (details supplied) or another appropriate mental health facility, or access to addiction treatment services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58730/26]

The Irish Prison Service does not hold data in relation to diversion waiting lists for those admitted to custody on remand and has no role in the Courts’ decisions to admit those with mental health or addiction needs into prison.

In-reach mental health services are provided by the HSE’s National Forensic Mental Health Service. This involves the provision of weekly forensic mental health sessions led by consultant forensic psychiatrists, supported by non-consultant hospital doctors, community psychiatric nurses, and social workers. These HSE Psychiatric teams manage and control the waiting lists for admission to the Central Mental Hospital.

The National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) provides the Irish Prison Service with data on their waiting list for access to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) at Portance and as of the 20th July 2026 the number of prisoners in custody on the CMH waiting list was 33.

The Irish Prison Service engages Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to provide a prison-based addiction counselling service across the entire Irish Prison Service estate (with the exception of Arbour Hill Prison and the Training Unit where the clinical need is currently under review). Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) provides data in relation to waiting lists for Addiction Services and the waiting list was 1,302 at the end of May for the full prison estate.