Prison Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016

Tuesday, 18 October 2016

Ceisteanna (163, 164)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

163. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the prisoner population and the number of staff employed within Mountjoy Prison for 2012 to date in tabular form; the number of staff on maternity leave or long-term sick leave for 2012 to date in tabular form; the provision in place for such absences of staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30575/16]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the prisoner population and the number of staff employed within the Prison Service on a prison-by-prison basis for 2012 to date in tabular form; the number of staff on maternity leave or long-term sick leave on a prison-by-prison basis for 2012 to date in tabular form; the provision in place for such absences of staff in Irish prisons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30577/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.

I can inform the Deputy that the prisoner population, attendance and staff assigned can change on a daily basis. For the purposes of the information provided in this reply the data used are correct as of the 17 October 2016.

Daily Average in Custody:

Institution	Year 2012	Year 2013	Year 2014	Year 2015	Year 2016 (up to Friday 14th October)
Arbour Hill	146	141	141	138	134
Castlerea	361	354	338	308	296
Cloverhill	429	402	413	359	381
Cork	259	231	226	218	250
Limerick (f)	28	29	27	24	32
Limerick (m)	261	225	223	224	223
Loughan	104	124	119	116	116
Midlands	616	762	823	805	812
Mountjoy (f)	124	127	123	107	111
Mountjoy (m)	603	537	556	537	516
Portlaoise	278	262	246	218	198
Shelton Abbey	102	104	102	101	103
St. Patrick's	204	129	11	3	1
Training Unit	116	105	89	92	90
Wheatfield	687	626	478	472	461
Total	4,318	4,158	3,915	3,722	3,726

Number of Staff:

Institution	29/12/2012	31/12/2013	31/12/2014	31/12/2015	Year 2016 (up to 1 October 2016)
Arbour Hill	98	86	101	100.5	97.5
Castlerea	210	188	205	201	198
Cloverhill	314	291.5	323.1	310.6	306.1
Cork	200	176.5	194.5	191.5	184.5
Limerick (m & f)	205	186.5	199	202	197
Loughan	47	37	49	48	47
Midlands	361	360.7	427.375	426	431.9
Mountjoy (f)	82	77.5	85	86.5	86
Mountjoy (m)	474.5	415	402	383	363.5
Portlaoise	265	252	278.5	275	273.5
Shelton Abbey	48	41	48	47.5	46
St. Patrick's	190	152.5	138.5	131.5	128
Training Unit	49	44	52	51	50
Wheatfield	369	319	381.5	369.5	361.5
IPSC	29.5	22.2	19.2	20.2	23.6
HQ	5	5.5	6.5	5.68	8.68
BSD	24	21	19	21	19
PSEC	145	143.5	143.5	138.5	140
OSG	145.5	141	145.5	147	142
Total	3262	3266.875	3218.175	3155.580	3102.78

While there has been a reduction in the staffing levels in the Irish Prison Service, this has been as a result of controlled reductions as set out in the Croke Park Agreement and the Haddington Road Agreement and is in line with Government policy to reduce Public Service numbers. Under the Haddington Road Agreement, the Irish Prison Service undertook to engage in a joint examination of all tasks within the prisons system in conjunction with the Prison Officers' Association. The Joint Task Reviews examined in detail all current organisational, structural and operational arrangements that are necessary so that prisons can operate in the most effective and efficient manner.

This has resulted in significant savings of circa €20 million to the exchequer

Number of Staff on Maternity Leave

Prison	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Arbour Hill	0	1	1	1	0
Beladd	0	1	1	1	0
BSD	0	0	0	2	1
Castlerea	4	5	5	5	3
Cloverhill	2	3	6	5	4
Cork	0	0	0	0	0
Dóchas	7	9	10	8	6
Limerick	4	5	3	3	2
Loughan	0	0	0	0	0
Midlands	9	10	8	13	6
Mountjoy	7	7	5	4	4
OSG	4	3	3	2	1
Portlaoise	5	6	5	1	3
PSEC	3	3	4	3	0
Shelton	0	0	0	0	0
St Pats	1	1	1	2	2
Training Unit	0	0	0	0	0
Wheatfield	2	3	2	2	5
Total	48	57	54	52	37

Number of Staff on Long Term Sick Leave (90+ days)

Prison	2013	2014	2015	2016
Arbour Hill	0	0	0	1
IPSC	0	1	0	0
BSD	0	0	0	0
Castlerea	13	9	7	9
Cloverhill	12	16	16	15
Cork	15	8	9	7
Dóchas	7	2	1	2
Limerick	15	12	8	6
Loughan	0	2	1	1
Midlands	14	9	15	10
Mountjoy	16	19	19	14
OSG	4	3	3	4
Portlaoise	14	6	6	6
PSEC	5	6	5	4
Shelton	0	1	1	0
St Pats	6	6	5	4
Training Unit	0	1	2	0
Wheatfield	15	13	13	9
Total	136	114	111	92

Please note the figures for long term Staff sick leave for 2012 are unavailable.

The is no provision within the staffing arrangements of the Irish Prison Service to replace staff on maternity leave or sick leave. However, there are mechanisms in place to support leave absences include the utilisation of additional working hours and the use of Diminishing Task Lines, to address a shortfall in staffing which may occur on any given day including absences of certified sick leave. The Diminishing Task Lines is the process whereby identified tasks are temporarily suspended to allow staff previously assigned to these tasks and posts to be redeployed to priority tasks and posts.

Prison management are responsible for the efficient and effective deployment of resources on any given day to maintain good order, safe and secure custody, whilst maintaining, as far as is reasonably practicable, access to structured activities for prisoners.

In addition, where a long term absence exists in the healthcare area, access to agency staff is requested.