Gardaí to continue to escort prisoners

GARDAÍ ARE to continue to escort prisoners to and from court appearances despite a recommendation 11 years ago that this task be transferred to prison staff.

In a report issued by the Garda Inspectorate last night, the Irish Prison Service (IPS) is said to have made a submission for additional resources to allow it assume responsibility for this function.

However, the IPS is said to have told the Garda Síochána that as a result of recent financial constraints, the necessary additional prison staff were not available to escort remand prisoners and it was “not in a position to take ownership of the escort of remand prisoners”.

In a section of the inspectorate’s report dealing with how “barricade incidents” are managed by the force, a recommendation that “a roster of mental health professionals be established to work in conjunction with the Garda negotiation team”, due for completion in 2008, is also yet to be implemented.

The report says while “informal arrangements exist whereby the director of the Central Mental Hospital and other mental health professionals are available on an informal basis … should their services be required at barricade incidents”, the full implementation, which was due nearly three years ago, has still not taken place and remained “dependent on the outcome of discussions with a cross-sectional health and justice team”.

The inspectorate report also highlights the recommendation that the Garda Síochána develop “an alert system for missing children” in collaboration with international forces.

Due for completion last year, the report states that gardaí are “still exploring options to achieve the most appropriate structure to give effect to the recommendation”.

The Garda commissioner has appointed his assistant commissioner as chairperson of a working group to progress the matter, though the new estimated completion date was March this year.

In the area of road policing, a recommendation that as of September 2009 all new recruits to the force “possess a valid driving licence prior to employment” is still under consideration and is due for update this year.