Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2023
134. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice the details of the independent living skills units currently available across the prison estate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7453/23]
View answer135. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if he has plans to review the operation of independent living skills units and to further develop these units across the prison estate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7454/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together.
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the independent living skills unit was opened in Wheatfield Prison in late 2016. The purpose of the unit is to assist prisoners serving long sentences to develop clear and realistic goals in the context of successful sentence progression. The unit replicates community living in so far as is possible within a closed prison environment and encourages prisoners to take responsibility for their own positive sentence management.
Laundry facilities and communal dining are available in the Unit. In-cell phones are available to maintain family relationships with some degree of privacy. The Unit is unlocked at present from 8.00am to 7.30pm and prisoners are responsible for the preparation and cooking of meals at weekends. Once per week the Unit Officer and a prisoner go to a local supermarket to purchase the agreed supplies for the weekend meals.
The Prison Service further informs me that there are currently no plans to review the operation of independent living skills unit or to further develop these units across the prison estate.
In addition to the independent living skills unit, the Deputy may be aware, the Irish Prison Service operates two low-security Open Centres, one at Loughan House, Cavan and one at Shelton Abbey, Wicklow. Open Centres and lower-level security settings are vital tools in the re-integration and rehabilitation of prisoners as they encourage an ethos of independent living and offer a transition between custody and community/family life.
There are also three low security accommodation units; the Progression Unit located on the Mountjoy Prison campus, and the Grove and Harristown House located at Castlerea Prison.
The Progression Unit operates a lower security regime and has a strong focus on rehabilitation and reintegration.
The Grove area consists of separate houses where prisoners live in a domestic type environment which is distinct from the main prison in Castlerea. While the regime there is more liberal than in the main prison, for example, prisoners have free movement within the unit, it remains within the main perimeter wall, is covered by CCTV and prison staff maintain control and supervise the area at all times. Harristown House is located on the grounds of Castlerea Prison but is outside of the main perimeter wall. Prisoners are approved Reviewable Temporary Release to Harristown House to access training/education programmes as deemed suitable by the Irish Prison Service.
