Vol. 509 No. 4
312 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of tutors available in prisons to deal with literacy training for prisoners; the number employed; the amount being paid for this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20263/99]
The director general of the prison service has informed me that teachers employed by local vocational education committees form the major part of the prison education service. Currently, the total allocation from the Department of Education and Science to VEC's for prison education amounts to 178.21 teachers measured as wholetime equvalents. This allows for the employment of about 220 individual teachers, who are engaged either wholetime or part-time basis. Salary payments to these teachers are a mater for the appropriate VEC.
The director general has further informed me that 37 teachers are designated as teaching literacy or basic education. However many other prison teachers also provide help with literacy difficulties, often integrating this effort with their teaching of some other subject.
Prison education has grown greatly in recent decades, achieving a substantial presence in all prisons and engaging more than half of all prisoners voluntarily in classes. One of the objectives of the prison education service is "to give special attention to offenders with basic education needs". This prioritisation is also reflected by Department's strategy statement for 1998-2000. The director general of the prison service has assured me that the basic education needs of prisoners will continue to be given priority attention.
