The service began on Mulgrave Street in August of 2006 headed up by consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ananth Pullela.

In January of this year, Dr Pullela was left fighting for his life after being stabbed by a patient at St Anne's Day Hospital in Roxboro. Since this incident, a doctor who does not specialise in forensic psychiatry and a nurse have been seeing prisoners.

That was until last Friday, when the psychiatrist in question ceased providing the service because of a heavy workload in adult general services, exacerbated by the HSE's failure to replace Dr Pullela.

The Limerick Chronicle understands that the HSE is currently trying to hire a locum to replace him temporarily.

Forensic psychiatry is the branch of the discipline where the mental health services interface with the law. Part of the work in the jail is to assess every prisoner, those on remand or convicted persons, for suicide risk.

In a letter seen by the Limerick Chronicle, dated August 8 last, prison governor Tadgh O'Riordan pleads with the HSE to continue the "much needed psychiatric forensic service".

"Since the unfortunate incident when Dr Pullela was injured" Mr O'Riordan points out, the service has been continued by a psychiatrist and a nurse who despite "limited resources" have been providing "an excellent service".

The governor continues, however, that the service is "inadequate" and fails to meet "the complex mental health needs of prisoners".

Sources this week claimed that the HSE had failed to adequately staff the regional forensic mental health services. Dr Pullela was supposed to have headed a team of nine professionals including doctors, nurses, a social worker and an occupational therapist.

Instead, they are currently having to make do with just one doctor and one nurse.

The HSE had not replied to enquiries at the time of going to press.

For more see Tuesday's Limerick Chronicle