Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 February 2022
253. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the programmes that exist in the prison system that cater to the specific needs of the Travelling community; and the initiatives that are taken to encourage their uptake of educational opportunities while in prison. [8874/22]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there are a number of ongoing programmes and initiatives specifically focused on the needs of members of the Travelling community.
Education is an important prison-based service, and participation in education is a key to improving outcomes for prisoners and reducing recidivism and the adult educational programmes include programmes which cater to the specific needs of the Traveller community.
Education programmes encourage Traveller participation through identifying barriers and articulating and presenting benefits of participation and aims to enhance Travellers’ confidence and motivation to participate.
The programmes support the development of culturally appropriate services by engaging with Travellers to identify the types and nature of services of interest/relevance and the provision of appropriate services, leading to improved outcomes.
The Prison Service works with its partners Travellers in Prison Initiative, St. Stephen’s Green Trust and the Probation Service and through this partnership approach positive steps have been taken. This includes the identification of Traveller Liaison teachers to support greater access and adaptation of education services for Travellers and awareness training for prison staff on issues arising for Travellers.
The mediation programme, a partnership between Prison Education schools, Midlands Traveller Conflict Mediation Initiative, the Red Cross and Travellers in Prison Initiative, is in place in a number of prisons. The programme is facilitated by Travellers and aims to develop intervention skills to address some of the issues that can lead to person on person violence in prisons. The programme develops conflict awareness and is an effective way of resolving disputes and a number of prisoners are trained as mediators.
Under a partnership between the Irish Red Cross, the Prison Service and the Education and Training Boards of Ireland, the Community Based Health and First Aid programme is currently in operation across our prisons. This is a peer led programme to train inmate Irish Red Cross volunteers about community health. Each year, inmate volunteers are guided through a community assessment which aims to identify the main health issues in their prison community. Their role as volunteers is to develop projects aimed at improving those issues. Volunteers learn in the classroom and educate their peers on the landings. To date, over 1,500 prisoners have trained in Community Based Health and First Aid, many of whom are members of the Traveller Community.
Throughout the pandemic, the Red Cross Volunteers played a pivotal role in promoting awareness and understanding of infection control and vaccine awareness to all prisoners, including the publication of traveller-specific newsletters and posters.
In late 2020, the Prison Service in collaboration with the equine industry opened the Equine Centre at Castlerea Prison. The equine programme while open to all prisoners, early indications show a positive interest in this programme from Traveller men. It is specially designed for delivery to students with literacy issues and is delivered visually with voice over and assisted with the use of diagrams. It is an accredited programme endorsed by the Racing Academy and Centre of Education.
Prisoners face many barriers to successful integration back into society and the equine programme can have a positive impact on physical and mental wellbeing, offer preparation for employment and ultimately make the community safer through a reduction in reoffending.
