Dan Neville
Question:292 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the suggested listening scheme for prisoners, based on the Samaritan service, will be introduced into Irish prisons. [14303/00]
Written Answers. - Prisoners' Listening Scheme.
In May 1996 the Minister for Justice established the National Steering Group on Deaths in Custody. One of the terms of reference of the steering group was to look at the recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Group on Prison Deaths published in August 1991.
One of the recommendations of the report was that a listening scheme, similar to that run by the Samaritans in UK prisons, should be introduced on a pilot basis. This involves training carefully selected offenders to operate as an extension of the Samaritan services on the landings of the prison.
I have been informed by the Director General of the Prison Service that a pilot listening scheme is to be established in Castlerea Prison. The governor of the prison has met with the regional director of the Samaritans organisation with a view to implementing this scheme.
It is proposed that the pilot scheme will be reviewed after 18 months to two years in operation with a view to extending it to other appropriate institutions in the penal system. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing with a view to implementing the pilot scheme as soon as possible.