Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 3

Written Answers. - Irish Prison Service.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

280 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the running costs of the prisons proposed to be closed for each of the past three years; the number of prison staff involved; the number of educational staff involved; the number of administrative staff involved in each of the cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28106/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The running cost details for 2000 to 2002, inclusive, in respect of the four places of detention subject to the Government decision of 11 November are as follows:

Prison	2000	2001	2002
	€	€	€
Curragh	4,648,350	5,112,800	5,635,415
Fort Mitchel	6,782,010	6,849,800	7,293,400
Loughan House	3,179,350	3,694,510	3,627,100
Shelton Abbey	2,789,270	3,019,400	3,263,000

Prison	No. ofPrison Staff (31/10/03)	No. of Educational Staff (Whole-time Equivalents)
Curragh	70	10.2
Fort Mitchel	95	14.04
Loughan House	44	9.52
Shelton Abbey	43	7.21

Administrative staff are included in the number of prison staff.

In the event of failure to reach agreement with the Prison Officers' Association on the management proposal aimed at eliminating overtime and reducing costs, the Government approved alternative cost reduction measures will, as I have explained in other answers today, be progressively implemented with effect from January 2004. They include the mothballing of Fort Mitchel and the Curragh Place of Detention and the making of alternative arrangements for the management and operation of the open centres at Loughan House and Shelton Abbey.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

281 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the proposed change in regard to the closure of the Curragh Prison has been costed; the cost involved; if the cost includes the provision of therapeutic and educational services as at present in the Curragh whereby 91 of the prisoners use the educational services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28107/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The running cost, including staff, overtime, prisoner services and maintenance, for the Curragh Place of Detention was €5.7 million in 2002. The Irish Prison Service has advised me that the costs associated with mothballing the institution will be approximately €625,000 in 2004.

Staff cost €3.3 million, excluding overtime, and it will continue to be incurred in the new prisons to which they are assigned. The staff transferred will reduce overtime in those prisons thereby saving overtime payments at premium rates. It is proposed that the prisoners detained in the Curragh Place of Detention will be transferred to the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, which has excellent facilities.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

282 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans his Department has for the education of prisoners transferred to Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, in regard to therapeutic and educational services if the proposal to close the Curragh prison is completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28108/03]

Jack Wall

Ceist:

283 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans his Department has to deal with the educational facilities and educational staff at the Curragh prison in view of the recent announcement of the impending closure of the prison; if the staff and educational facilities will be transferred with the changeover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28109/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together.

In my reply to the Deputy's Question No. 78 today I outlined the position of the educational staff at the Curragh Place of Detention in the event that I am forced to implement the mothballing of the centre.

The centre is a closed institution with a capacity for 102 offenders, the vast majority of whom are sex offenders. The average age of offenders is over 50 years as against a prisons wide average of just under 30 years. Although offenders in the Curragh are in custody for serious crimes they do not pose a significant disciplinary or security risk. It is intended that most offenders detained in the Curragh would be transferred to the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise. Others may be transferred to other institutions.

As the move would be from one closed institution to another, there would be no major difference in the level of security under which the offenders are held. The move would be to a modern facility so their custodial conditions would be equivalent to those experienced in the Curragh. The intention would be to make every effort to retain the integrity of the Curragh's multidisciplinary team approach in order to provide for continuity in all regime areas, including education.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

284 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans his Department has in regard to the proposed closure of the Curragh prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28110/03]

Jack Wall

Ceist:

285 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the timescale in regard to the proposed closure of the Curragh prison; if personnel inclusive of prisoners, prison officials and educational staff will be transferred as a unit; if there will be fragmentation of the unit to different prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28111/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 285 together.

I draw the Deputy's attention to the Adjournment Debate on 12 November concerning the Curragh Place of Detention, which was sought by him, and the comments that I made about its future during that debate. On 20 November I met representatives of the Prison Officers' Association and I hope that progress may yet be made on an agreed way forward on the basis of the official side proposals. In the absence of agreement the position remains the same. The Government approved alternative cost reduction measures will be progressively implemented from January 2004.