Helen McEntee: Plans for prison mental health task force 'at an advanced stage' 

In its report in November, the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture expressed concern at the facilities available to prisoners with severe psychiatric problems. File picture. 

The establishment of a task force on mental health, addictions, and imprisonment is "at an advanced stage", Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said.

The taskforce is a priority in the programme for government but has been the subject of increased focus since an EU committee report last month found that conditions experienced by some mentally ill prisoners here “might amount to inhuman and degrading treatment”.

Ms McEntee said in a parliamentary response to Galway West TD Catherine Connolly that the task force is due to be progressed in the first quarter of 2021.

"It is widely acknowledged that every person with mental health difficulties coming in contact with the system should have access to comprehensive mental health support," said Ms McEntee.

"This will be a complex body of work with a number of cross-cutting issues that cannot be addressed in isolation. I am pleased to say that collaboration with the Department of Health on the development of terms of reference and structure for the establishment of the task force is now at an advanced stage.

"The terms of reference have been agreed in principle between the two departments. Work is now underway to identify a chair and put in place other administrative details as soon as possible."

Concern over facilities

In its report in November, the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture expressed concern at the facilities available to prisoners with severe psychiatric problems and said that beds in community psychiatric facilities should be expanded and made available to these prisoners.

The report said the conditions in which two prisoners were found on D Wing at Cloverhill Prison “might amount to inhuman and degrading treatment”, with the rising number of homeless people being imprisoned of particular concern.

The report was raised by a number of TDs in parliamentary questions, including Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy who said the task force is necessary to ensure that imprisonment does not become a cycle.

"It’s no surprise that a lot of people in prison are in there because of mental health problems. Prison is necessary to keep society safe, but we can do better."

The Irish Prison Reform Trust said the task force should be progressed with urgency. The group said that this should include “urgent steps” to ensure that mentally ill homeless people whom the courts are willing to bail can be transferred to a psychiatric facility in the community to receive appropriate care.