Vol. 471 No. 7
299 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice the facilities, if any, her Department is aware of for the treatment and rehabilitation of persons who have been convicted of offences involving paedophilia; whether new services are in the course of being developed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21866/96]
All offenders convicted of sex offences, including paedophilia, have access to a comprehensive range of rehabilitative services while imprisoned. All convicted paedophiles serving prison sentences, are, in addition, invited to apply for a place on the group treatment programme which is in place at Arbour Hill Prison since 1994. The primary objective of this programme is to promote the rehabilitation of sex offenders. All treatment options are, of necessity, voluntary and, as such, the take-up rate is dependent on the willingness of individual offenders to use the available services.
The Arbour Hill programme is reviewed on an ongoing basis by my Department and the question of additional programmes for sex offenders, complementary to the group treatment programme, is currently being examined.
