Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2017
296. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of hours and days per week that schools are currently open per prison; the number of prisoners attending school in each prison; and the extent to which staff shortages are resulting in school closures. [32283/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes can offer purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead law abiding lives on release. These programmes are available in all prisons and all people in custody are eligible to use the services.
The development of prisoner programmes forms a central part of the Irish Prison Service Three Year Strategic Plan 2016 - 2018. There is a clear commitment in the Strategy to enhance sentence planning through Integrated Sentence Management and the delivery of prison based rehabilitative programmes.
As well as seeking to draw on best practice in adult and further education in the community, there has been a lot of curriculum development over the years that is specific to prison circumstances, such as courses on addiction, health issues and offending behaviour.
The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole time teacher equivalents to the Prison Service through the Education and Training Boards (ETB). Education in prisons is delivered in partnership between the ETBs and the Irish Prison Service with a focus on providing education which is quality assured, student centred and which facilitates lifelong learning. The partnership endeavours to meet the needs of students through helping them cope with their sentence, achieve personal development and prepare for life after release. A broad and flexible curriculum is provided which ranges from basic literacy classes and peer-led tutoring to Open University. There is an increasing focus on QQI accreditation as the modular structure best meets the needs of students in prison. On some occasions, people in custody may have to wait for a place to become available on an educational programme.
In general prison cells are unlocked at approximately 8.15 am each morning for breakfast. People in custody collect breakfast and return to cells, which are then locked from 8.45 a.m. to 9.15 a.m. Cells are again unlocked for those in custody to attend work, school , visits and exercise. People in custody return for lunch at 12 noon and cells are locked at 12.30 p.m. Afternoon unlock commences at 2.15 p.m. and people in custody return to structured activities in schools, workshops and visits. Evening tea is served from 4 p.m. and cells are locked from 4.30 p.m. to 5.20 p.m. when evening recreation commences until all cells are locked at 7.30 p.m.
The Irish Prison Service advises that 42% of the people in custody during the month of March 2017 participated in Education activities. See table outlining participation figures for March 2017.
|
Education Unit |
No. of Teachers WTE's |
March Population |
March Participation |
March 2017% |
|
Arbour Hill |
10.50 |
662 |
424 |
64.0 |
|
Castlerea |
16.23 |
1570 |
674 |
42.9 |
|
Cloverhill |
8.00 |
1755 |
386 |
22.0 |
|
Cork |
19.10 |
1386 |
758 |
54.7 |
|
Dochas |
7.00 |
581 |
325 |
55.9 |
|
Limerick |
16.05 |
1220 |
514 |
42.1 |
|
Loughan |
9.52 |
590 |
469 |
79.5 |
|
Midlands |
34.20 |
4119 |
1839 |
44.6 |
|
Mountjoy |
17.23 |
1897 |
691 |
36.4 |
|
Portlaoise |
19.64 |
1149 |
486 |
42.3 |
|
Shelton Abbey |
7.41 |
557 |
303 |
54.4 |
|
Mountjoy West |
20.05 |
796 |
431 |
54.1 |
|
Training Unit |
7.50 |
385 |
118 |
30.6 |
|
Wheatfield |
20.10 |
2280 |
546 |
23.9 |
|
212.53 |
18947 |
7964 |
42.0 |
The Prison Service advises that there has been a small number of closures of schools in recent months, due to staff shortages, however complete closure of Prison Education Centres is infrequent and Prison Governors only close the entire school when there is no other option.
It should also be noted that the levels of access to services by prisoners is dependent on staffing levels on any particular day. Prisons may experience staffing shortfalls on any given day for a number of reasons, including the number of escorts of prisoners to court or prisoners being admitted to hospital which requires staff to leave the prison. On such occasions, prisons are now implementing Regime Management plans which help to ensure that access to services is maximised by directing resources at those prisoners wishing to avail of Work training and other regimes and through the implementation of a number of operational measures such as staggered feeding times for prisoners and rotational unlock of landings.
