Written answer
Mental Health Services
The Minister outlined prison mental-health assessments, 24-hour healthcare, psychiatric referrals and transfers, while acknowledging prisons are not clinical settings.
945. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to ensure that a person (details supplied) receives the appropriate medical and mental health treatment as a matter of urgency before it becomes fatal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65550/26]
Comment on this
I am working to ensure our prison system is equipped to deal with the complex needs of people with acute mental illness and am working closely with the Minister for Health and the Minister of State for Mental Health to achieve this.
I have been advised by officials in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that all people committed to prison undergo a comprehensive medical assessment on committal, including a mental health assessment. Urgent healthcare needs are triaged and responded to immediately by the prison healthcare team. Where clinically indicated, referrals to an in?reach Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist or IPS Psychologist are made without delay. All people in custody in closed prisons have 24-hour access to healthcare services, and protocols are in place to respond to immediate concerns to ensure their safety.
I can assure the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service is committed to ensuring that all people in custody are treated with dignity, provided with appropriate healthcare, and managed in a manner that prioritises their safety and well-being.
In-reach psychiatric services are provided by the HSE’s National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS), which delivers weekly forensic psychiatric sessions in all prisons except Limerick Prison and Loughan House. Any decision regarding admission to the Central Mental Hospital or other Approved Centres rest solely with the NFMHS and HSE. The Irish Prison Service facilitates transfers as soon as a bed becomes available.
The multidisciplinary teams providing mental healthcare in prisons include General Practitioners, Nurses, Psychologists and Prison Healthcare Support Workers, with additional support from Chaplaincy Services and limited Occupational Therapy services. However, it must be noted that Irish prisons are not clinical settings.
I am advised by the IPS that where a family member has concerns about a person in custody, they may contact info@irishprisons.ie. Such correspondence is reviewed promptly and directed to appropriate personnel.