Written Answers Nos. 128-135
128. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 18 to 20, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, engaged in education, in any given day; the median number of hours engaged per week, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8609/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra129. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 18 to 20, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, engaged in training, in any given day; the median number of hours engaged per week, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8610/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra130. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 18 to 20, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, engaged in work, in any given day; the median number of hours engaged per week, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8611/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra131. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 21 to 24, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, engaged in education, in any given day; the median number of hours engaged per week, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8612/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra132. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 21 to 24, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, engaged in training, in any given day; the median number of hours engaged per week, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8613/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra133. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 21 to 24, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, engaged in work, in any given day; the median number of hours engaged per week, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8614/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra134. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 18 to 20, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, not engaged in training, education, or work, in any given day, due to its unavailability, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8615/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra135. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of those aged 21 to 24, inclusive, in prison, and in Wheatfield Place of Detention, not engaged in training, education, or work, in any given day, due to its unavailability, Monday to Friday, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8616/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to answer Questions Nos. 128 to 135, inclusive, together.
I can advise the Deputy that according to the most recent snapshot of the prison population taken on 31 January 2015 there were 734 prisoners in custody aged 18-24.
I am informed by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that records of prisoner participation in vocational training and education programmes are not maintained in such a way as to provide the specific information sought by the Deputy.
Broad programmes of education are provided which generally follow an adult education approach. Prison education includes a core element of basic education incorporating reading, writing, numeracy and IT literacy. The aim of the Education Service is to deliver a high quality, broad, flexible programme of education that helps prisoners cope with their sentence, achieve personal development, prepare for life after release and establish an appetite and capacity for life-long learning. Programmes are adapted to take account of the diversity of the prisoner population and the complex nature of prison life, including segregation requirements and high levels of prisoner turnover.
Educational services are available at all institutions and are provided in partnership with the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and a range of other educational agencies. The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of whole-time teacher equivalents to the prisons through the ETBs (220 in the academic year 2014/15). Organisations who provide in-reach education roles include Open University, the Samaritans, the Red Cross, Grow, Toe by Toe, Writers and Artists in prison etc. Other courses run through the education centres include pre-release programmes, parenting, hairdressing, Alternatives to Violence etc.
I can inform the Deputy that in November 2014, the latest month for which figures are available, 46.3% of the total prisoner population attended education classes during this time. January figures have not been collated yet and in December industrial action by teachers - combined with the holiday period - do not give an accurate representation of prisoner engagement. With regard to Wheatfield, on average 27% of the prisoner population engaged with education services on a daily basis in November 2014. A breakdown by age of those who attended is not available.
The Irish Prison Service has also been expanding the number of accredited courses and opportunities available to prisoners in Work Training in recent years. Enhanced partnership arrangements with accrediting bodies such as City and Guilds, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and the Guild of Launders and Cleaners and the centralising of coordination and quality assurance arrangements have enabled us to extend the number of available courses and activities with certification.
Prisoners involved in work and training activities may do so with a view to gaining accreditation in a particular area or in order to keep busy during their sentence. Engagement in vocational training can have added benefits in the form of boosting self-confidence, imparting useful practical skills and improving social skills. On any given day, prisoners work in areas such as the laundry, kitchens, horticultural or gardening, industrial cleaning, waste management and picture framing shops where the labour they provide can be of benefit to the effective running of the prison and for which they may or may not receive accreditation.
I can inform the Deputy that in November 2014, the latest month for which figures are available for prisoner participation in work and training (accredited and non-accredited), 27.83% of the total prisoner population attended workshop sessions. During this time the workshops were open for approximately 82% average of scheduled opening hours. With regard to Wheatfield In November 27.60% of the prisoner population attended workshop sessions with an average attendance per session of 133.46 prisoners. A breakdown by age of those who attended is not available.
The development of prisoner programmes forms a central part of the new Irish Prison Service Three Year Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015. There is a clear commitment in the Strategy to enhance sentence planning including Integrated Sentence Management and the delivery of prison based rehabilitative programmes such as education, work training and resettlement programmes.
