Written Answers Nos 72-84
72. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to review the criteria for the community return programme with a view to extending it to prisoners with sentences in excess of eight years. [15800/17]
View answerThe Community Return Programme is an incentivised early release scheme co-managed by the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service. It commenced in October 2011 and is now operational in every county and from every prison in the State. The Programme has been supported by the reallocation of resources and key personnel from within both services.
The Programme targets well behaved prisoners serving sentences of between 1 and 8 years imprisonment who are making genuine efforts to desist from re-offending. Prisoners serving sentences of less than one year are ineligible for Community Return and may instead be considered for release under the Community Support Scheme. Persons serving sentences of over 8 years generally fall within the Parole Board process. The legislative basis for making decisions on temporary release is fully set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003. Each application is considered on its individual merits and in line with the legislative provisions.
I am informed by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that there are no immediate plans to change the eligibility criteria.
73. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for the closing of the training unit in Mountjoy Prison; the plans that are in place to provide a fit for purpose replacement unit in the interim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15801/17]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has commenced the repurposing of the Training Unit Place of Detention (on the Mountjoy Prison Campus) to a dedicated Unit for older prisoners. It is intended that the Unit will be fully vacated of prisoners and staff in May 2017.
A key action of the current Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan (Action 2.5) is to ensure that older prisoners are identified as a specific group who have particular needs within the prison population. There are currently a number of such prisoners in the care of the Irish Prison Service who have significant and ongoing healthcare needs, many of whom are currently dispersed across the estate and in some cases significant distances away from the healthcare providers they rely on.
The establishment of the unit will allow the Irish Prison Service to accommodate such prisoners in a purpose built unit within close proximity to a variety of medical care and will also allow for appropriate remedial works to the accommodation which is currently outdated and lacks in-cell sanitation thus delivering on the commitment to provide in-cell sanitation to all prison cells.
It is envisaged that the repurposing of the unit will take 18-24 months to complete. During this time, it will be necessary to accommodate current prisoners elsewhere in the prison estate, primarily within the Mountjoy Campus.
It is intended that prisoners who are currently on programmes of temporary release will be facilitated in continuing with such programmes.
74. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Irish Prison Service personnel provided with mobile telephones; the cost of same in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15835/17]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service currently has a tender with Vodafone for the supply of mobile phones to Irish Prison Service staff for official business use. This contract was awarded to Vodafone after a competitive tender. An approved business case must be submitted by the staff member for approval by Irish Prison Service ICT Division before a mobile phone is assigned to a member of Irish Prison Service staff.
I am advised by the Irish Prison service that 217 staff members currently have an official mobile phone for business purposes.
Mobile phone costs (including monthly usage bills and handsets) from 2012 are set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Cost |
|
2012 |
€107,766 |
|
2013 |
€125,556 |
|
2014 |
€147,317 |
|
2015 |
€155,331 |
|
2016 |
€136,522 |
|
2017 (Year to date) |
€14,700 |
75. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total cost to date of the Thornton Hall project; the status of this project; the purpose of this project; her future plans for this site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15836/17]
View answer76. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total cost of the lands at the Thornton Hall project; the current value of the site and lands at the time of purchase; the value of these lands; the meetings that were held between her Department and the vendors prior to the sale; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15837/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together.
By way of extensive background information on the Thornton Hall project, how it arose, the related prison accommodation issues and other relevant factors I would refer the Deputy to the Comptroller & Auditor General Annual Report 2005 which addressed this issue and to the subsequent examination by the Public Accounts Committee in October 2006. The Comptroller & Auditor General also addressed this issue as part of the Report on the Accounts of the Public Services in 2014 (No. 9 Development of Prison Accommodation in Dublin). The Public Accounts Committee subsequently examined this issue in November 2015.
The Thornton Hall site comprises 156 acres and was purchased for a proposed prison development to replace Mountjoy Prison campus. Selection of the site began with advertisements in the national newspapers and over 30 potential sites were evaluated by a selection committee. Thornton was selected as the least costly of the sites which met the relevant criteria. Full details of the assessment process have been made public and are detailed in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Annual Report 2005. Negotiations with the prospective vendors were conducted on behalf of the State by CBRE with some involvement of officials of the Prison Service.
For reasons which are outlined in detail in the reports cited above, the Thornton project did not proceed. A total of €50.6 million has been spent on the Thornton site to date and this includes the site preparations, surveys, building of an access road, maintenance, legal and security fees and so on. The biggest single expenditure was the initial purchase of the land at Thornton for €29,900,000 in 2005 which was offset by the sale of surplus prison lands at Shanganagh Castle for €29.6 million. For accounting purposes, the value of the 150 acre site at Thornton continues to be recorded at the cost of €29.9 million, plus investment in infrastructure and services, pending a review of its potential value and benefit to the State.
In January 2015, a Working Group was established by the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality to examine options for the future use of the Thornton Hall site. This group, comprising of officials from the Department of Justice and Equality, the Office of Public Works and the Irish Prison Service, was asked to review potential options for the lands and house at Thornton and make recommendations on how best to maximise the value to the State. That work is ongoing.
77. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures taken following the Inspector of Prisons report in April 2016 and the recommendations of same; the actions still outstanding; when all recommendations will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15838/17]
View answer87. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the Office of the Ombudsman will be given the jurisdiction to examine complaints within the Prison Service; the progress in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15848/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 87 together.
The report of the then Inspector of Prisons, the late Judge Michael Reilly, on the prisoner complaints system entitled “Review, Evaluation and Analysis of the Operation of the present Irish Prison Service Complaints Procedure” was published on 8 June, 2016 and is available on my Department's website - www.justice.ie.
His report identified a number of concerns in the implementation of the current complaints procedure. Arising from this I met with the late Inspector of Prisons to discuss his findings and recommendations. At that meeting I emphasised that the rights of all prisoners, including vulnerable prisoners, have to be promoted and an effective complaints system is just one aspect of achieving this goal. The Inspector made it clear to me that he considered the Irish Prison Service has to retain a central role in the complaints process but with independent oversight and that he was satisfied that a fair and effective complaints procedure could be achieved with the implementation of his recommendations. I also had a separate meeting with the Director General of the Irish Prison Service to see what action needed to be taken following on from the report.
One of the key recommendations in the Inspector's report is that prisoners’ complaints should be subject to review by the Ombudsman, who would also be able to deal with complaints directly in the case of undue delay. I accepted this recommendation and officials from the Irish Prison Service and from my own Department are in advanced discussions with the Ombudsman's office with the aim of establishing an effective complaints system for prisoners. When this is in place, the Irish Prison Service will be in a position to implement the revised procedures. To effect these changes, some amendment to secondary legislation may be required as well as development of the IT infrastructure. It is not envisaged that primary legislation will be required.
I should mention that I also accepted further recommendations made in the Inspector's report which will be reflected in the revised procedures currently under consideration. These include resolving minor complaints at the lowest level; allowing prisoners to make complaints to relevant professional bodies; prisoners being entitled to an explanation for decisions made affecting them; frivolous and vexatious complaints being addressed; and the application of fair procedures. Similarly the recommendations on adequate training, adhering to protocols and statutory obligations, holding staff to account, not hindering the complaints procedure and having an effective communication system are accepted.
78. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the Exchequer allocation to the Irish Prison Service, IPS, in 2006, 2011 and 2016; the current management structure of the IPS; the salaries and allowances payable to the top management in the IPS currently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15839/17]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the budgetary allocations for the Irish Prison Service for the years referred to by the Deputy were as follows:
2016 - €332.058m, 2011 - €349.583m, 2006 - €389.572m.
The Irish Prison Service operates as an executive agency within the Department of Justice and Equality. It is headed by a Director General supported by five Directors (Care and Rehabilitation, Operations, Staff and Corporate Services, Estate Management, ICT and Finance) two of which are vacant. The Irish Prison Service's management structure provides for four Governor grades - Campus Governor, Governor 1, Governor 2 and Governor 3. There are currently two Campus Governors, one acting Campus governor, one Governor 1, seven Governor 2s and eleven Governor 3s. There are also Deputy Governor and Assistant Governor grades.
The top and bottom points of the current payscales (PPC rate) for top management grades are set out below:
Director General: €163,372 (single point on scale)
Director of Care and Rehabilitation: €135,994 (single point on scale)
Director: €85,127 - €103,976
Campus Governor: €112,899 - €117,811
Governor 1: €78,912 - €98,065
Governor 2: €71,738 - €90,141
Directors, not including the Director General and the Director of Care and Rehabilitation, receive an annual Director's allowance of €12,608. Governors, except Campus Governors, receive an Operational Allowance of 8%, Rent Allowance of €4,017 per annum, Plain Clothes Allowance of €441 per annum and a Governor's Allowance of between €5,880 and €7,049.
79. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied that no gender discrimination exists in the prison system; the measures she will take to ensure that it does not exist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15840/17]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service operates within the parameters set out in Irish, European and international human rights law and promotes equality and human rights through its policies and practices.
Separation of male and female prisoners is provided for under Section 52 of the Consolidated Prison Rules 2007-2014. Female prisoners are accommodated in the Dóchas Centre which is a separate facility for females within the Mountjoy Prison Campus and female offenders in the Munster area are accommodated in Limerick Female Prison.
A new development for females in Limerick will see a tender for a new facility commence in July 2017 with work to commence in January 2018. When completed this will provide 50 spaces with 7 independent living areas which will enhance the regimes and supports available to women as a stand alone facility with all the required ancillary services. This will result in a therapeutic environment with the view to reducing re-offending offering family links to release and the community.
At present, there is no open prison facility for females, however in the joint Probation Service/Irish Prison Service Women's Strategy 2014 - 2016, "An Effective Response to Women who Offend", the Irish Prison Service gave a commitment to explore the development of an open centre/open conditions for women assessed as low risk of re-offending. A joint Prison Service/Probation Service working group considered an open centre for women and decided to recommend step down facilities for women as a more practical and cost effective way to address the deficit rather than developing an open centre for women. In this regard, I have given approval to the Heads of the Irish Prison Service and Probation Service to proceed to tender for the development of a step down unit for women in Dublin. It is expected that the facility will be available towards the end of 2017.
80. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the maternity and midwifery services provided in each of the women's prisons, by prison; the protocols in place in each for when babies are born in prison; the number of babies born to prisoners, by prison, in each of the years 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15841/17]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the level of maternity care provided to women in custody, including both pre- and ante-natal care, is comparable to that available to women in the community. It is provided on a shared care arrangement between the maternity hospital to which the patient is referred, and the Healthcare Team in the Dóchas Centre.
Pregnant women attend maternity hospital, and the babies receive the same care from Public Health Nurses as that provided to a baby born outside prison. The Dóchas Centre provides a 24hr nursing service, and has daily access to a Prison Doctor.
The Irish Prison Service ensures that provisions are made in the Dóchas Centre to facilitate new mothers keeping their infants with them so as not to disrupt early bonding. Each mother and child are provided with their own single room with en suite facilities on their return to the Dóchas Centre after giving birth. Required items such as cot, baby food, nappies, etc are also provided. As there is no mother and baby unit in Limerick Prison, any woman who needs to be accommodated in such a unit is facilitated with a transfer to the Dóchas Centre.
The Irish Prison Service does not record data in the format requested in this question. However, it can confirm the number of children born to women in custody in 2015 was nil and in 2010 was two.
81. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the education and training provided to prisoners during their sentences, by prison; the budget for the provision of such services in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15842/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes can offer purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead law abiding lives on release. These education and training programmes are available in all prisons within the Irish Prison Service and all prisoners are eligible to use the services during their prison sentences.
On committal, all prisoners are interviewed by the Governor and are informed of the services available in the prison. At this point prisoners may be referred to services or they can self refer at a later date. Where Governors consider, on the information available, that a prisoner needs a particular intervention they will initiate a referral.
The development of prisoner programmes forms a central part of the Irish Prison Service Three Year Strategic Plan 2016 - 2018. There is a clear commitment in the Strategy to enhance sentence planning through Integrated Sentence Management and the delivery of prison based rehabilitative programmes.
As well as seeking to draw on best practice in adult and further education in the community, there has been a lot of curriculum development over the years that is specific to prison circumstances, such as courses on addiction, health issues and offending behaviour.
The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole time teacher equivalents in partnership with the Irish Prison Service through the Education and Training Boards (ETB). The focus is on providing education which is quality assured, student centred and facilitates lifelong learning through helping those in custody to cope with their sentence, achieve personal development and prepare for life after release. A broad and flexible curriculum is provided which ranges from basic literacy classes and peer led tutoring to Open University. There is an increasing focus on QQI (formerly FETAC) accreditation as the modular structure is suitable to the needs of students in prison.
The guiding principles which underpin the prisons' work and training service are to make available work, work-training and other purposeful activities to those in custody. Training activities are chosen to give as much variety as possible and also to give opportunities for those in prison to upskill and to acquire practical accredited skills which will help them secure employment on release. The provision of essential prison services such as catering, industrial cleaning and laundry services also form an important part of work training and skills development in all prisons. This budget covers equipment and supplies for work training areas across all prisons.
The Irish Prison Service has also been expanding the number of accredited courses and opportunities available to prisoners in Work Training in recent years. Enhanced partnership arrangements with accrediting bodies such as City and Guilds and the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers and the centralising of coordination and quality assurance arrangements have enabled us to extend the number of available courses and activities with certification.
The following table outlines the budgets allocated to work training and education for 2012 - 2017. The budgets cover equipment and supplies across all prisons.
|
Year |
Work Training |
Education |
|
2012 |
€2 million |
€1.27 million |
|
2013 |
€2 million |
€1.3 million |
|
2014 |
€2.1 million |
€1.1 million |
|
2015 |
€2 million |
€1.1 million |
|
2016 |
€1.8 million |
€1.1 million |
|
2017 |
€1.8 million |
€1.065 million |
82. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total cost of administering medication to prisoners, by prison, in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017; the amount that directly relates to the methadone programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15843/17]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the administration of medicine is a core role of the prison nursing staff who undertake such duties in the prisons on a daily basis in line with Irish Prison Service policy.
In addition, the administration of opioid substitution treatments on a daily basis is part of the role undertaken by the addiction pharmacists in the Mountjoy Campus.
In this context, the Irish Prison Service has advised that it is not possible to provide information on the total cost of administering medication to those in custody.
83. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the dietary provision of meals to prisoners, by prison; the budget allocation for catering, by prison, in 2011 and 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15844/17]
View answerThe Irish Prison Service operates a 28 day menu cycle which was reviewed and updated in November 2015. The menu provides a wide variety of wholesome and nutritious food and drink each day, properly prepared and well presented. All prisoners, in particular those with medical needs, are encouraged to make healthy choices from the menu provided.
Section 23 of the Prison Rules, 2007 (S.I.No. 252 of 2007) provides that the Governor shall ensure that, where the prison doctor so advises, special provision is made in relation to the dietary needs of a prisoner who suffers from a medical condition the treatment, prevention or alleviation of the symptoms of which necessitates adherence to a special diet.
The following table outlines the budgets allocated for catering for the years 2011 - 2016.
|
Year |
Budget allocation |
|
2011 |
€8,200,000 |
|
2012 |
€9,009,000 |
|
2013 |
€9,009,000 |
|
2014 |
€8,809,000 |
|
2015 |
€8,769,000 |
|
2016 |
€7,800,000 |
84. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the services within prisons that are provided by, or have been tendered for service by, private companies, by prison; if other areas of service provision are being considered for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15845/17]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Prison Service that the statistics being sought are not readily available. The information is currently being collated and I will respond to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 84 for answer on 30 March, 2017, in which you requested "the services within prisons that are provided by, or have been tendered for service by private companies, by prison; if other areas of service provision are being considered for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter".
As you will recall, the information you requested could not be obtained in the time available, and I undertook to contact you again when this information was to hand.
The Irish Prison Service advise me that, in relation to building management, the LMC Facilities Management Company provide service and repair as well as out of hours mechanical and electrical call-outs in all prison locations, which are broken down as follows: Security, safety and IT equipment including automated gate installations (vehicular and pedestrian excluding the security locking installation), turnstiles, security x-ray equipment, emergency lighting, special cell repairs and cleaning, fire alarm installations, fire pumps and hydrants, smoke ventilation, security netting, roller shutters, razor wire, dental and medical equipment, UPS and cell call (generators and back up systems in the case of a power failure).
Kitchen and Catering and Laundry equipment including catering refrigeration equipment, kitchen canopies and ventilation ductwork cleaning, kitchen ventilation systems.
Gas, Water and Electrical Services including water coolers, water softeners, process water treatment, water leak detection, water services and process pumps, drain cleaning, mobile electrical work platform, gas detection maintenance system, grease traps, HT/LT electrical distribution boards, heating boilers steam and non-steam, industrial gases and combined heat and power plant.
Work training equipment including print shop, wood work and metalwork equipment, and farm machinery.
Miscellaneous items such as gym equipment, TV distribution, air compressors, lifts and chain hoists, air handling units, A/C units, hoists, and statutory engineering inspections.
In relation to ICT two companies, Harvey Nash and IT Contracting, provide the Prison Service with three onsite engineers who look after all of the prisons in terms of resolving any on site ICT issues as they arise. In addition, the Irish Prison Service have contracts for maintenance and service of security systems, CCTV systems, waste management, pest control, sanitary services, and healthcare risk waste.
The Irish Prison Service Care and Rehabilitation Directorate is responsible for prisoner care and rehabilitation. This involves input by a diverse range of general and specialist services some of which are provided by private companies, including the following:General Pharmacy Services - all locationsDrug Testing Service - all locationsAddiction Counselling - all locationsLocum GP services - all locationsAgency Nursing Services - all locationsDental Services - all locationsInterpretation Services - all locationsDairy Product Supplies - all locationsFruit and vegetable supplies, frozen food, bread product and cooking supplies - all locationsCatering audits - all locationsFood sample analysis - all locationsFraming supplies - all locationsKitchenware and janitorial supplies - all locationsPrisoner toiletries and clothing - all locationsHorticulture supplies and workshop consumables - all locationsPPE work wear - all locationsLaundry, Catering, Sports and Gym equipment - all locationsWork shop tools and equipment - all locationsEducational and art and craft supplies, school books, library books, print shop supplies - all locationsLaptops - all locationsAccrediting bodies - all locations.Hairdressing training - Dochas CentreSewing supplies - Dochas CentrePersonal development workshops - Dochas CentreDrug Treatment Pharmacist - Mountjoy CampusFabric Supplies - Mountjoy CampusOptical Services - Mountjoy Campus, West Dublin Campus, Midlands Campus and Cork PrisonLocum Chaplaincy Services - Midlands, Mountjoy Campus, Dublin West Campus, Arbour Hill, Limerick, Shelton AbbeyFarm Supplies - Shelton Abbey and Loughan HouseSteel Supplies - Dublin West and Midlands The Irish Prison Service also have drawn down contracts for plumbing and electrical supplies, hardware supplies, and white goods.
Private companies also supply the following:Advertising and Press Office related costsCable Television Rental/TV LicencesCar Hire (taxi) to court/hospitalIPS College CateringIPS College CleaningCourier ServicesDigital Radio Subscription – TetraDrug Detection ServicesFire Safety – service contractFire Safety – maintenance and repairsFranking chargesGrounds maintenanceHealth & Safety – Non AssetHealth & Safety ConsultantsIT Software maintenance costsIT Software Non AssetsLocks, keys, Safes and Cabinets maintenance and repairsPainting maintenance and repairsPhotocopier maintenanceRental for storage accommodationTelephones and telecoms maintenanceTrades maintenance and repairsTraining External CoursesTV and video – supplies and repairsUrine TestingVisitor Centre CostsWater coolersX-ray, explosive and operator-controlled detection systems – service contract. I hope this information is of assistance.
