Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2004
426 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the educational programmes for prisoners transferred from the Curragh prison to the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise; the position regarding the educational staff attached to the Curragh Prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3971/04]
View answerThe intention is that prisoners who transferred from the Curragh Place of Detention to the Midlands Prison on 19 and 20 January 2004, will continue to have access to education classes. The Deputy will appreciate that the transfer of the 85 prisoners concerned has involved inevitable short-term disruption to their education provision. This disruption arises not only because of the significant logistics involved in the transfer arrangements but also the impact of the transfer on day-to-day security and other operational arrangements at the Midlands Prison. Every effort is being made, however, to keep this disruption to a minimum.
The director general of the Irish Prison Service informs me that provision is already made for five prisoners who had been undertaking open university courses at the Curragh Place of Detention to continue their studies at the Midlands Prison. In addition, education records from the Curragh Place of Detention, together with some education equipment, have been transferred to the Midlands Prison and further such transfers will take place in the coming fortnight to facilitate the commencement of taught education classes for the transferred prisoners.
Since the closure of the Curragh Place of Detention, teachers from County Kildare VEC have continued to report there to complete the mothballing of the education unit and assist in the transfer of the education records and equipment to the Midlands Prison. The teachers have also liaised with colleagues based at the Midlands Prison in regard to arrangements for continuation of education programmes which had been in place at the Curragh Place of Detention. The Irish Prison Service is currently in touch with the Department of Education and Science and County Kildare VEC about the possibility of secondment of teachers from the Curragh Place of Detention to provide education classes at the Midlands Prison. I understand that a meeting to consider this option will take place later this week involving each of the foregoing parties and the Teachers Union of Ireland.
427 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if all the personal belongings of prisoners moved from the Curragh prison to the Midlands Prison have been returned to the prisoners; when this logistic was completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3972/04]
View answerStandard procedure in our prisons is that all properties, personal or otherwise, of those committed to custody must be recorded and searched in accordance with the regulations. Over the past two weeks, a total of 120 prisoners were committed to the Midlands Prison, 85 of whom transferred from the Curragh Place of Detention. As the Deputy can appreciate, the practicalities associated with transferring such a large number of persons en bloc are not inconsiderable. Due to the large influx of prisoners and associated property, the searching and recording procedures required will take some time. I am informed that the prisoners concerned have received their permitted quota of clothing and that they have also received items of personal property on request. The rest of their property is still being recorded and will be issued as soon as possible.
