TB strikes prisoners and staff in three jails

DOZENS of prisoners and wardens at three of the country’s most crowded jails have been diagnosed with TB just days after the release of a highly critical review of the system.

The HSE has confirmed prisoners and staff at Cloverhill and Wheatfield prisons in Dublin and the Midlands prison in Portlaoise are suffering from TB.

It is understood seven inmates at Cloverhill have been diagnosed with active TB, with a further two in isolation over fears they have developed the illness.

One of the inmates at Cloverhill has been hospitalised — as have two prisoners at Wheatfield and another at the Midlands prison.

In addition, the condition has been passed to up to 16 workers on the packed wings of the Midlands prison.

These 16 workers have been diagnosed with latent TB — a form of the illness which does not pose an immediate risk and will only develop into active TB if not properly addressed.

However, the situation will present further security issues if staff have to take time off to be treated.

An Irish Prison Service spokesperson said he could not comment on the issue, as it involves private medical information relating to specific prisoners and staff.

However, a HSE spokesperson confirmed that its Department of Public Health section is “continuing to investigate TB cases in a prison in the Dublin area”.

“Public health doctors are carrying out contact tracing investigations in accordance with national TB guidelines. Prison services are co-operating fully with the HSE,” she added.

The outbreak of TB — an air-borne condition kills 50% of the people it infects if left untreated — comes just days after a damning independent review of the system by Ireland’s national inspector of prisons.

Last week, Judge Michael Reilly specifically warned prison chiefs they had until the end of this month to solve a series of shocking hygiene and overcrowding crises at the facilities.

The issues — which affect prisoners on long-term sentences and those incarcerated for minor offences equally — include:

* The only fresh water taps in the A and B wings at Limerick prison being placed directly over “slopping out” equipment.

* Major drug-dealing problems at facilities, including Limerick, Mountjoy and Cork.

* More than one in four prisoners being locked in cells for extended periods at Castlerea in Co Roscommon because of staff shortages and protection reasons.

* Inadequate CCTV coverage, prisoner protection, safe recreational areas and separate areas for juvenile and adult inmates.

Other issues highlighted were “filthy” wings, broken windows, broken and leaking equipment, unpainted areas, smashed windows, overcrowding and dangerously low levels of staffing in certain locations.

The report, which came on a day when eight of the country’s largest prisons housed more prisoners than their official capacity, was welcomed by Justice Minister Alan Shatter.