asked the Minister for Justice the number of welfare officers exclusively attached to the prison system; the number of welfare officers in each of the State's ten civilian prisons in each year since 1969; the functions of the prison welfare service; the number of released prisoners placed in (a) part-time (b) temporary and (c) permanent employment, by the prison welfare service; and the figures to indicate the numbers of releases from each of the State's ten prisons placed for each year since 1969.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prison System.
14.
Twenty welfare officers and two senior welfare officers are employed in the prisons and other places of detention under the aegis of my Department. The distribution of those officers throughout the ten institutions is indicated in the attached table which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report. In addition, five welfare officers from my Department will shortly be assigned to work in the special schools operating under the aegis of the Department of Education. To complete the picture it is important to understand that these welfare officers form part of an integrated service, which, in addition, includes six senior welfare officers and 39 welfare officers operating throughout the country on what is generally referred to as probation work and who liaise with their colleagues in the institutions, so that a service can be provided to the offender in his home setting as well as in the institutional setting.
In relation to persons in custody, the welfare service strives to provide as comprehensive a counselling service as is possible with a view to the resocialisation of the offender. Efforts to secure employment for offenders who wish to work on release are only a part of the work of welfare officers and detailed statistics of employment secured have not been kept. The available statistics, all of which relate to settled as distinct from casual employment, are as follows:
|
Year |
Total number of persons placed in employment on release |
|
1973 |
469 |
|
1974 |
400 |
|
1975 |
467 |
|
1976 |
401 |
|
1977 |
446 |
Following is the table:
Number of Welfare Officers in Prisons and Places of Detention
|
1969 |
1970 |
1971 |
1972 |
1973 |
1974 |
1975 |
1976 |
1977 |
1978 |
|
|
Mountjoy |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
|
St. Patrick's |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Limerick |
— |
— |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cork |
(open) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Shanganagh Castle |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Loughan House |
(open) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|||
|
Portlaoise |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
* |
* |
* |
* |
||
|
Shelton Abbey |
(open) |
* |
* |
* |
* |
1 |
||||
|
Arbour Hill |
1(open) |
1 |
2 |
2 |
||||||
|
Training Unit |
(open) |
* |
2 |
2 |
||||||
|
Female Prisons— |
||||||||||
|
Limerick |
||||||||||
|
Mountjoy |
— |
— |
— |
* |
* |
* |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
2 |
2 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
17 |
20 |
* Service provided by welfare officers from other prisons and from the courts.
Two Senior welfare officers have overall responsibility.
Assuming that the discharge rate from prisons is about 300 and this accumulates over a number of years, is the Minister satisfied that the number of welfare officers is enough for the multifarious jobs which they have to carry out in relation to the supervision of social welfare, homes, employment and many other things? It is an enormous task for what appears to be a relatively small staff.
I accept much of what the Deputy says and I have appointed a number of extra welfare officers. I will try to get more because they are doing very valuable work and I should like to see them having greater success in placing people.
Has the Minister any special figure in mind? Is it ten or 20 more?
I have a figure in mind but I am not sure how accurate it is. I can sent it to the Deputy. I think 65 extra people were taken on from last July, but I should like to check that out. I will get in touch with the Deputy about it.
15.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of released prisoners from each of the State's ten prisons since 1969 who had no homes to go to, or were not wanted at home on release i.e., who were virtually homeless; the number of such prisoners from each of the State's prisons who were (a) found accommodation by the prison welfare service, (b) assisted in finding accommodation by the prison welfare service, and (c) given financial assistance in finding accommodation.
Statistics in relation to the number of released prisoners who had no homes to go to or who were not wanted at home on release have not been kept.
In 1977 close to 200 persons were assisted in finding accommodation on release from the prisons and places of detention. In some cases the accommodation was in hostels which are maintained in part from funds made available by my Department.
Most persons are paid a gratuity while in a prison or place of detention. A portion of this gratuity is retained by the prison authorities and paid to the prisoner when he is released. A number of voluntary organisations exist which help persons after their release. Some of these organisations receive grants from the State.
A person released from custody has, of course, the same entitlement to social welfare benefits as any other person.
Would the Minister not agree that imprisonment and discharge from imprisonment, usually to an alien and hostile world, is a particularly traumatising experience for the individual and it is at that time that he needs support in a home? In order to try to reduce the recidivist rate, the Minister should see that these people are properly looked after and placed in suitable homes.
I agree that we have a very special responsibility in helping these people. I am prepared to inquire into the aspects which the Deputy has raised. If I can improve the situation I am prepared to do all I can.
Is the Minister aware of whether any progress has been made with regard to consideration by his Department of the possibility of paying social welfare payments or unemployment assistance to people discharged from penal institutions immediately on discharge?
This is a separate question.
It arises in connection with financial assistance towards finding accommodation. This is something which the Minister indicated some months ago was under consideration. Has any progress been made in that area?
I would need special notice of that question.
Perhaps the Minister would let me know.
I will let the Deputy know within a few days.