Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Jun 1992

Vol. 420 No. 6

Written Answers. - Departmental Employees.

Ivor Callely

Question:

87 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline (a) the number of teachers and instructors which his Department employ (b) the work they are engaged in and (c) the cost of provision of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Flynn)

Teachers and instructors are engaged in two areas i.e. (i) education and work-training for offenders within the prisons, and (ii) in-service training to members of the Garda Síochána.

(i) The Prisons Education Service is staffed by teachers (equivalent to 129 wholetime) supplied by the Department of Education through Vocational Education Committees. These teachers provide a wide curriculum ranging from basic literacy and numeracy to higher academic subjects, arts and crafts, physical, vocational and social education. The salaries of these teachers is approximately £2 million per annum. Other agencies such as the public libraries, third-level institutions and the Arts Council also contribute to prison education. The direct cost of lecturers' fees, materials and equipment for educational activities paid for from the Prison Vote was £430,000 in 1991.

The Work-Training service in the prisons provides tuition and experience for offenders in a broad range of activities, including training in industrial and technical skills. A total of 116 staff are employed in the service, all of whom are members of the prison service. Expenditure on Work-Training in 1991 was as follows:

Salaries	£1.88 m.
Equipment etc.	£0.715 m.
	£2.595 m.

These costs were offset to a degree by receipts from the sale of produce and from grants from the European Social Fund, which came to £0.64 million in 1991.

(ii) In relation to the Garda Síochána, the Garda authorities inform me that there are 161 members of the Force engaged in full-time instructional duties. The work in which they are involved covers all aspects of Garda training and development. In addition, there are two civilian Irish language teachers based at the Garda College in Templemore. The cost of providing these services in 1992 is approximately £3,430,000.