HSE may take over prison healthcare

The possibility of the HSE running prison healthcare services instead of the Irish Prison Service (IPS) is currently under discussion, the UN Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) has heard.

Responding to queries from committee members yesterday, head of the IPS Michael Donnellan said they had held meetings with the Departments of Justice and Health to examine how this might happen against the backdrop of an independent review.

The IPS strategic plan 2016-18 states it will “seek cross-departmental endorsement of the [Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture] recommendation that prison healthcare services be brought under the responsibility of the Department of Health and operated by the HSE”.