Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2016
82. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she will publish the strategies for older prisoners, young prisoners, sex offenders and prisoners requiring protection; when these strategies and the joint strategy for women prisoners will be operational in each prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17016/16]
View answerI can advise the Deputy the Irish Prison Service published its three year strategic plan 2012-2015 on 30 April 2012. Appended to this document were the Irish Prison Service's strategy for the management of older prisoners, the strategy for the management of young offenders and women offenders, the strategy for reducing re-offending by sex offenders, and the strategy for the management of prisoners requiring protection.
The implementation of the actions contained in the individual strategies is ongoing at prison level.
I can further advice the Deputy that in regard to younger persons, since December 2013 all boys aged 17 years sentenced to detention in St. Patrick’s have been transferred to dedicated units in Wheatfield Place of Detention. The Irish Prison Service continues to engage extensively with the Irish Youth Justice Service regarding the transfer of responsibility for 17 year olds to Oberstown Campus in line with the Government decision to close St. Patrick’s Institution. The Prisons Act 2015 was passed by the Oireachtas in December 2015 and is a significant step toward the closing of St. Patrick’s Institution.
In relation to older persons, having cognisance of the particular needs of older people in custody all prisoners over 55 years of age now have an active nursing care plan, in which their specific needs have been identified. This care planning process assists healthcare staff in identifying patient specific issues and arranging effective through-care on release. A survey of older prisoners has been completed and the results are currently under consideration. A Policy on the management of Older Prisoners is also currently in development.
A joint Irish Prison Psychology Service/Probation Service National Programme of Excellence is in operation between the Midlands and Arbour Hill prisons, targeting treatment efforts at moderate to high risk offenders convicted of sexual violence. This is managed by a multi-disciplinary oversight group between both prisons, chaired by the Director of Care and Rehabilitation.
Regular meetings of the Solitary Confinement Group, chaired by the Director General are held to bring about a reduction in the of prisoners on 23 hour lock up and to introduce measures to reduce the number of prisoners held on restricted regime. Since the introduction of the Irish Prison Service Solitary Confinement Group the number of prisoners on 22/23 hour lock up has decreased by 126 or from 211 to 85 in April 2015. An internal committee has been established to examine the area of protection in a wider context, aiming to reduce the number of prisoners seeking protection and to increase access to regimes.
