Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
439. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of group intervention sessions currently being run in the IPS to target criminogenic factors, by institution and by year for the period of 2015 to date. [21313/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials in the Irish Prison Service have advised that it is not possible to retrieve the information sought as it is not electronically recorded in one central area.
As such, the retrieval of this information would involve significant engagement and the manual examination of a considerable amount of records covering approximately 9 years. In the context of limited resources, such an examination would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and resources which could not be justified.
I have been advised however that group sessions are available across the Irish Prison estate and are provided by both Irish Prison Service staff and in-reach providers. Each group is considered in terms of the needs of the prisoner cohort, with a particular emphasis on targeting criminogenic factors. Groups include those provided within education units, psychological group therapy and offence related group interventions. Addiction support groups are delivered via Merchants Quay Ireland, including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Mindfulness and Mentalisation Based Stress Reduction group programmes, and groups for those requiring support in relation to grief are also catered for, amongst many more.
I am informed that group based interventions are an extremely beneficial way of engaging people in custody because of the impact of peer to peer engagement and challenge and the experience of universality often experienced. Groups also have a positive impact on wait lists for those awaiting service provision.
