Vol. 561 No. 5
259 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a study has been prepared for his Department on the profile of inmates of prisons and of people who are homeless, dealing particularly with the prevalence of special education needs among these populations; his plans to publish this report; and if he has considered releasing it in response to a freedom of information request. [5019/03]
I wish to advise the Deputy that the Probation and Welfare Service have recently commissioned a research project on the number, profile and progression routes of homeless persons before the courts and in prison custody. The project, which will be funded by my Department, is being undertaken by the Centre for Social and Educational Research, Dublin Institute of Technology. The purpose of the project is to obtain accurate information about the numbers and profile of homeless persons appearing before the courts and in prison custody in the Dublin metropolitan area. It is also hoped to track and determine how homeless persons are dealt with by the court and prison system in this area, with particular reference to any involvement by the Probation and Welfare Service. I understand that the project will shortly go before the research ethics committees of both the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Irish Prison Service for authorisation to commence. Given that the project is at a very early stage, the issue of its publication or its release under the Freedom of Information Act does not arise at present.
