I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that staffing requirements are continuously monitored, and that vacancies can arise as a result of multiple factors including mobility, promotions and retirements.
I am informed that there are currently 131 serving nursing staff employed across the Irish Prison Service with a total of 16 vacancies which are in the process of being filled through a Prison Nurse recruitment campaign. In addition, I am advised that the Irish Prison Service also utilises the services of agency nurses to supplement vacancies in permanent posts for nurses across the service.
I am informed that there were no Prison Nurses recruited in 2019 and that a total of three Prison Nurses exited the service. I am further advised that, in 2020 to-date, the Irish Prison Service has recruited eleven Prison Nurses and that one Prison Nurse has left the service.
The Deputy may wish to note that ‘Prison Nurses’ have been employed by the Irish Prison Service since 2012, following the restructuring of nursing in the Irish Prison Service as a result of the Haddington Road Agreement. Prior to 2012, the Irish Prison Service employed the grade of ‘Nurse Officer’.
For the sake of completeness, please find the information requested, for both Prison Nurses and Nurse Officers, in the following tables, furnished to me by the Irish Prison Service.
Recruited into the
Irish Prison Service
|
2019
|
2020 (to-date)
|
Prison Nurses
|
0
|
11
|
Nurse Officers
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
0
|
11
|
Exited the Irish Prison Service
|
2019
|
2020 (To-date)
|
Prison Nurses
|
3
|
1
|
Nurse Officers
|
3
|
1
|
Total
|
6
|
2
|