Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 4

Written Answers. - Prison Staff.

John Gormley

Question:

176 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prison officers working in Mountjoy, St. Patrick's and Wheatfield prisons; his views on whether these prisons are overstaffed by normal standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22826/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

As of Friday, 5 November 1999, the number of staff of all grades, including doctors, chaplains and staff cooks, in the three institutions is as follows:

Mountjoy Prison	841
St. Patrick's Institution	217
Wheatfield Place of Detention	347

Staffing levels are determined by assessing the specific operational needs of each institution. There are no set objective standards for the staffing of prisons. The exact staffing needs of new prisons will be informed by the work of the staffing and operations review team, a dedicated team comprising prison service and Department officials which is examining the staffing at all prisons and places of detention.

It should be noted in relation to the three institutions listed above that the current staffing includes a level of supernumery officers who were recently recruited in the context of the need to staff the new women's prison at Mountjoy – the Dóchas Centre – and the new prisons at Cloverhill and Portlaoise. These officers are receiving on-the-job experience prior to being re-assigned.