Vol. 493 No. 5
224 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has in relation to extending the number of rehabilitation places for sex offenders in prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16758/98]
There are, at present, two forms of therapeutic intervention available to all prisoners committed for sex offences within the prison system. Both forms of treatment are aimed at enabling such offenders gain a measure of control over their offending behaviour. Individual counselling from my Department's clinical psychology service and from the probation and welfare service is available in each institution, with the temporary exception of those in the Curragh place of detention where it will be provided at the earliest opportunity. The second type of therapeutic intervention is an intensive offence-focused group work programme which is available only in Arbour Hill Prison at the moment. This programme can cater for up to ten offenders at one time and takes ten to 11 months to complete. The emphasis is on the offender accepting personal responsibility for the offence and on developing effective relapse prevention strategies. All convicted sex offenders who are in custody, irrespective of the institution in which they are accommodated, are invited to apply to participate in the programme. Those who apply are considered by the treatment team but not all are deemed suitable. Where more than ten offenders who have applied are deemed suitable, the places on the programme are allocated to those nearest the end of their sentence. The others are offered a place on a subsequent programme.
I am keen to expand treatment programmes for sex offenders and, to this end, my Department is actively examining the possibility of increasing the number of group treatment places available by locating a further group treatment programme for ten sex offenders at the Curragh. In view of the specialised skills necessary to set up and run such a programme, however, it will take some time to put a new programme in place.
