Vol. 452 No. 7
51 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Justice the work or training programmes that are available in each of our jails; the number of prisoners who avail of such work or training schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8480/95]
I refer the Deputy to my Department's policy document "The Management of Offenders — A Five Year Plan" published last June. The document in Chapter 10 outlines the current position in regard to work and training in the prison system and plans for the future.
Briefly the document points out that there is now a wide range of work and training activities in the prison system that have been developed by a corps of staff specially recruited and trained for them. The training activities include welding, machinery, engineering, drawing, construction, painting, decorating, printing, electronics, catering, computer skills and driving. Most of these courses are now certified by the City and Guilds of London or other bodies. Manufacturing activities involve clothing, furniture, printing, baking, laundry, cleaning and grounds upkeep.
About 40 per cent of the prison population are engaged fully in these activities and another 20 per cent partly. It is reckoned that, allowing for the involvement of prisoners in other pursuits including education, another 20 per cent of the prison population could be engaged in work and training activities if the necessary accommodation were available.
Chapter 10 concludes with an outline of plans for the development of work and training activities over the next five years. Work on this plan is proceeding.
The following is a list of the work and training activities available now in each institution:
Mountjoy Prison
Clothing manufacture
Furniture making
Metalwork/Woodwork
Crafts
Concrete products
Bakery
Kitchens
Work parties
Prison servicing work
Portlaoise Prison
Kitchen
Prison servicing work
Arbour Hill Prison
Joinery
Printing
Clothing manufacture
Kitchen
Laundry
Braille
Prison servicing work
