Kathleen Lynch
Question:35 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the activities, if any, his Department funds or part funds in prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12652/97]
Written Answers. - Rehabilitation of Prisoners.
The development of programmes to help the rehabilitation of people in prison is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice.
The existing Prison Education Service consists of a partnership between the Department of Justice and a range of agencies, including An Chomhairle Ealaíon, which supports the Department of Justice in implementation of the artists-in-prison and the writers' workshops for prisoners scheme. These schemes allow artists and writers to work with prisoners in one of the State's prison-detention centres for periods of up to ten days.
Artists and writers who are interested in these schemes are invited to apply to an An Chomhairle Ealaíon and all applications are carefully considered by both An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Department of Justice. A panel of artists and writers is drawn up and as opportunities arise within the prison system an appropriate artist or writer may be called upon to undertake a project within a particular prison.
Any modification or extension of these two schemes would be a matter for An Chomhairle Ealaíon, in consultation with the Department of Justice.
As I indicated on previous occasions I very much support any initiatives in the arts and culture area which assist the rehabilitation of prisoners and I commend the work undertaken by An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Department of Justice on the two excellent schemes in place.