asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of the training programme undergone by recruits to the prison service; the length of the training period; if he has any plans to change the programme; and, if so, if he will give details.
Written Answers. - Training Programme.
141.
The training for officers recruited to the prison service is normally a 12 week induction course, which consists of seven weeks classroom tuition and five weeks on-the-job familiarisation.
Where possible officers attend the course over 12 consecutive weeks immediately after recruitment but recently where the exigencies of the service did not allow this they attended a section of the course initially and completed the remainder after a period on duty.
Temporary prison officers who were urgently recruited in the recent past received two weeks classroom training covering the essential basic elements of the job but excluding topics more appropriate to permanent staff. On-the-job training was then given in the various institutions.
Training in the prison service generally is at present being reviewed by a steering committee on prison officer training which comprises representatives of my Department (both from the prisons division and from the prison service training centre) and the Department of the Public Service.
Questions Nos. 142 and 143 withdrawn.