Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
367. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which the full complement of staff remains available throughout the Irish Prison Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42822/20]
View answer368. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the number of promotional positions to be filled throughout the Irish Prison Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42823/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 368 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service operates as an executive office within the Department of Justice and Equality. It is headed by a Director General supported by five Directors.
The allocation of staffing across the prison estate is based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison. The number of staff required is influenced by factors including, in particular, the numbers in custody, category of prisoner and regimes and a range of other factors, including the risks and needs associated with specific areas and particular offenders. For security and operational reasons, the Irish Prison Service is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the staff resources allocated to individual prisons.
The identified resources requirement for the Irish Prison Service is 3,360 with a shortfall average of 4% for December 2020.
The Service continue to recruit for Prison Officer and healthcare grades.
The Deputy will wish to be aware that in 2020, 101 Recruit Prison Officers were appointed, with an expectation to recruit a further 144 in 2021.
I am informed that the number of promotional positions to be filled in the Irish Prison Service varies on a regular basis, and is influenced by multiple factors such as staff mobility, retirements, internal promotions and promotions to external organisations.
In respect of internal promotional competitions, as the Deputy will appreciate, such competitions are administered on an on-going basis in order to fill vacancies at all levels of the organisation, as they arise.
Vacancies arise for positions both at Prison Grade and also General Service grades. These internal promotional competitions are open to any eligible staff member, to make an application, to fill any advertised post.
Since the beginning of 2020, the Irish Prison Service has advertised 10 internal promotional competitions and I am informed that it is intended to continue to advertise further promotional competitions until year end, for various grades.
The Deputy will wish to note that in addition to such internal promotional competitions, the Irish Prison Service also engages with the Public Appointments Service in order to assign successful candidates to vacancies in the organisation.
