Senator Bacik asks for Debate on Prison Policy

Order of Business

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Leader's announcement that a cross-party motion has been agreed on the sentencing to death of Pastor Nadarkhani in Iran, which is helpful. I remind leaders of the other groups that I have e-mailed an updated wording of a motion on Syria and would be grateful for cross-party support on that motion, particularly in light of recent reports of further abuses and killings by the Syrian Government and the suspension of Syria by the Arab League in a really dramatic move. This is a sign of how serious have become developments and how seriously repressive is the regime there. In this context, I would be grateful for an early response to the motion on the continued detention of the Syrian psychoanalyst, Dr. Rafah Nashed. The motion has been broadened to take account of other developments and of the repression and violence that has been used by the Syrian Government against peaceful protesters who have been protesting for democracy. I hope this motion also can be taken on an agreed basis.

I ask the Leader for a debate on prison policy in Ireland in light of the publication of the capital expenditure plan last week, which showed that further spending on Thornton Hall has been deferred. While many Members will be quite glad of that, they also need to ascertain what other resourcing can be done to ensure, for example, the phasing out of the brutal slopping-out practices in Mountjoy Prison. I acknowledge work is ongoing in Mountjoy as many members of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality will have seen in recent weeks. However, they need to know whether resources can be put in place to ensure that conditions in Mountjoy Prison will become better for inmates and staff alike, as well as to ascertain what plans are in place to move children out of St. Patrick's Institution. The commitment in the programme for Government is to end the practice of detention of children, that is, those under 18, in St. Patrick's Institution. However, those of us who visited recently saw that more than 30 children remain in detention there. In conclusion, I wish to inform colleagues that I will hold a seminar with Dr. Harry Kennedy and Ms Emily Logan, Ombudsman for Children, at 4.30 p.m. today in the AV room to discuss the conditions in St. Patrick's Institution.

…I would be grateful for the support of colleagues of all parties on this issue. Again, it is a matter on which there was cross-party support in the last Seanad from both Government and Opposition parties.