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Seanad Éireann Vol. 246 Wednesday, No. 14 13 July 2016 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 13/07/2016A00100Business of Seanad 819 13/07/2016A00250Commencement Matters 820 13/07/2016A00300Irish Prison Service 820 13/07/2016B00300Tenant Purchase Scheme 823 13/07/2016C00600Charities Regulation 826 13/07/2016D00400Mental Health Services Provision 828 13/07/2016G00100Order of Business 830 13/07/2016O00400Corporate Manslaughter (No 2) Bill 2016: First Stage 845 13/07/2016P00100Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage 846 13/07/2016NN00100Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion 892 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 13 Iúil 2016 Wednesday, 13 July 2016 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 13/07/2016A00100Business of Seanad 13/07/2016A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Máire Devine that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to respond to the grave concerns about the proposed 50% cut in the number of night nursing staff at Cloverhill Prison I have also received notice from Senator Jennifer Murnane O’Connor of the following mat- ter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to amend the terms of qualification for the new tenant purchase scheme in order that persons in receipt of social welfare payments will not be excluded from it I have also received notice from Senator Gabrielle McFadden of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to ensure the continuation of the existing estab- lished Console premises and that these locations will be permitted to continue to function I have also received notice from Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to comment on the case of a person (details sup- plied) with autism and mental health issues who has been staying in the Aishlin unit at Beaumont Hospital since 30 September 2015 and whose family have been battling to get him into residential care at Nua Healthcare since that date I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to seek a review by the European Commission of the tariff on fertiliser imported from outside the European Union I have also received notice from Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh of the following matter: Go dtabharfaidh an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna soiléiriú cén uair an bhfuil an roinn chun maoiniú breise a chur ar fáil le h-áiseanna agus seomraí breise a chur ar fáil ag an scoil 819 Seanad Éireann Tí Nan Dooley ar an gCeathrú Rua, i gContae na Gaillimhe, le gur féidir leo an curaclam iomlán a chur ar fáil do na daltaí ansin I have also received notice from Senator John O’Mahony of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to dis- cuss the proposed increase in the public service obligation levy on domestic and commercial electricity bills I have also received notice from Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to outline her Depart- ment’s strategy for investment and job creation on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Done- gal, an area that is larger than County Louth and that has a population greater than that of County Leitrim I have also received notice from Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to work with his officials to ex- pedite the opening of an Irish Passport Office facility in Belfast to meet not only the regular high demand for Irish passports there but also the unprecedented number of applications following the UK referendum on membership of the European Union I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to update the House on the proposed cuts to the service provided by and funding of libraries in County Sligo I have also received notice from Senator Neale Richmond of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to review the application process for companies applying for banking licence authorisation I have also received notice from Senator Maura Hopkins of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to outline the interim measures being implement- ed to deal with the increased cost of motor insurance while awaiting the recommendations of the review of policy in the insurance sector which is due by the end of 2016 I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion I have selected the matters raised by Senators Máire Devine, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Gabrielle McFadden and Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and they will be taken now Senators Colm Burke, Trevor Ó Clochar- taigh, John O’Mahony, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Niall Ó Donnghaile, Victor Boyhan, Neale Richmond and Maura Hopkins may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise 13/07/2016A00250Commencement Matters 13/07/2016A00300Irish Prison Service 820 13 July 2016 13/07/2016A00400Senator Máire Devine: I thank the Minister of State at the Department of the Environ- ment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Damien English, for coming to the Seanad to address my nursing colleagues’ extreme concern about the proposed changes to their working rosters at Cloverhill Prison These changes, if implemented, will lead to the halving of nursing cover on a nightly basis My colleagues are extremely worried about the repercussions of this decision on staff welfare and safety and similarly the welfare and safety of prisoners to whom they have a duty of care as professionals registered with An Bord Altranais Cloverhill Prison is an extremely volatile working environment It receives committals from Leinster courts, plus emergency committals from County Donegal to County Kerry where homicide charges are made It receives all Garda national immigration bureau committals from the airport for deportation Many of those committed have ingested drugs and require 24-hour observation A total of 60% of committals from the Bridewell Garda station have drug and alcohol addiction requiring immediate intervention for withdrawal Prisoners are accepted into the prison throughout the day and night This situation, therefore, requires 24-hour triage cover within the institution To suggest otherwise would be irresponsible and asking for trouble The prisoners who arrive at Cloverhill Prison are of an extremely volatile nature Many are suffering from underlying physical and mental illnesses, abuse illegal substances and in most cases are addicted, pose a high suicide risk, are extremely vulnerable and have various other problems Deterioration in health due to these issues and more places an acute demand on the expertise of the nurses and one nurse simply could not meet the needs as outlined in the pro- posed new roster Suicides are an ever present risk within the prison population To suggest one nurse could attend a suicide attempt and meet the needs demanded by this situation is impractical and reck- less An incident which happened in 2014 was highlighted to me by the nurse concerned who attended the scene The nurse had 26 years nursing experience, but the scene she attended dur- ing that night was something she had never seen before She described it as a “bloodbath” Her priority and that of her nursing colleague on that night was obviously the prisoner She vividly remembers the scene in the cell and says that were a similar incident to arise again, one nurse simply could not cope with the pressures We need two nurses for competent cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR A great deal of CPR is administered in the prison following the taking of an overdose and an attempted suicide In some cases there are completed suicides The nurses’ concerns have been consistently highlighted to prison management through their union but to no avail The responses and lack of acknowledgement of their concerns are extremely worrying In recent days staff have become aware of rumours that the proposed ros- ter changes will be shelved If this is the case, it is to be welcomed from all angles However, I would like to respond to my nursing colleagues and provide certainty for them that from here on, double cover will remain in place, that their safety and welfare, with that of the prisoners, will remain more secure and the cloud of doubt resulting in a fraught atmosphere between staff and management can now lift I would appreciate it if the Minister of State provided me with that certainty 13/07/2016B00100Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Gov- ernment (Deputy Damien English): I apologise on behalf of the Tánaiste who cannot be here to take the debate She wishes to
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