Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Dec 2002

Vol. 558 No. 5

Written Answers. - Prison Accommodation.

Brian O'Shea

Question:

323 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals in regard to the concerns (details supplied) of all the staff of the education centre, Shanganagh Castle, Shankill, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25076/02]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

Shanganagh Castle was opened in 1969 as an open detention centre for males aged between 16 and 21 years of age. The centre, which stands on grounds of 24 acres, has dormitory accommodation for 60 inmates. However, it has been increasingly difficult to identify young male offenders suitable for this type of open prison accommodation. Last year Shanganagh Castle had an average offender occupancy of 30 inmates. This has fallen again this year with as few as 16 inmates being detained recently. In addition, the full implementation of the provisions of the Children Act, 2001, will mean that 16 and 17 year old inmates must be completely segregated in the prison system, resulting in a further drop in those offenders who might be found suitable for transfer to the castle.

The annual cost of keeping an offender at Shanganagh Castle in 2001 was €127,000. This is significantly higher than the average overall cost per prisoner of €79,000 in the same year. The suggestion in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy that Shanganagh Castle provides the only drug free environment for young offenders in the Irish prison system is factually incorrect. St. Patrick's Institution, which caters for the same age group as Shanganagh Castle, has operated a designated drug free wing since November 2000. This wing allows inmates who do not have a background of drug abuse and those who have demonstrated the desire to stop taking drugs to be detained in a drug free and secure environment. A study contracted by the European Conference on Drugs and HIV/AIDS Services in Prisons indicated that St. Patrick's Institution was an example of best practice in the area of drug policy in establishments of its type. They also singled out the institution as a fine example of multidisciplinary working with good care and planning services for offenders.

In view of the very considerable decline in the number of young offenders found suitable for transfer to Shanganagh Castle in recent years, the Irish Prisons Service established a group to examine the options for its continued use as a detention centre. While the group's report identified an increase in the upper age limit of offenders as one option, they also recognised that:

If none of the recommended options were considered viable then, as the current regime at Shanganagh Castle cannot be justified on operational or financial grounds, the closure of the castle and the subsequent disposal of the site will have to be considered.

I recognise the important service that Shanganagh Castle and its staff have given to the prison system over the years, particularly in terms of dealing with juvenile offenders. I have given careful consideration to this report, its current viability and the options available for its future use. As a result I intend to close the centre in order to contribute to the control of costs in the prison service, to make more effective use of prison service staffing and other resources, and to release funds through the sale of Shanganagh Castle to be used, subject to the agreement of the Minister for Finance, for more productive prison related purposes.

The small number of inmates currently in Shanganagh Castle can be accommodated elsewhere in the prison system without difficulty or, in appropriate cases, given temporary release as part of the normal process of preparation for re-integration into society upon final release. The needs of offenders in this age category can be adequately met elsewhere in the prison system, for example, in St. Patrick's Institution which has introduced important new programmes over the past two years for the rehabilitation of offenders, including a positive sentence management programme and the drug free wing to which I have already referred.

I reject suggestions that there has been a deliberate policy of under utilising the centre over recent years. While there is a considerable number of persons aged between 16 and 21 years of age currently detained in closed prison institutions, it is misleading to imply that all or a significant number of these prisoners would be eligible or suitable for a transfer to Shanganagh Castle. A number of initiatives were taken to increase the number of inmates in the centre. Among these was the implementation of new procedures for dealing with assessments of candidates for Shanganagh Castle. Many offenders in this age group are either unsuitable or are not eligible for a transfer to the centre for various reasons. In addition, offenders were often unwilling to transfer to Shanganagh Castle.

Closure of Shanganagh Castle will also necessitate the reassignment of its complement of 43 prison service staff to other institutions. The terms of such reassignments will be the subject of discussions with the Prison Officers' Association. Discussions will also be necessary with the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee in regard to the position of the full-time and part-time teachers at the castle. The probation and welfare officer currently assigned to the centre will be assigned to other duties.