Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
784. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to transfer grants for prison links from her Department to the HSE; for an update on these plans; the rationale behind them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35685/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, Community Prison Links (CPL) workers are funded by the Department of Justice through Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces (LDATFs), with the exception of the one CPL worker which is funded by the Probation Service via the Fusion project based in the Ballyfermot area. Five CPL workers operate in four of the Dublin LDATF areas. CPL workers operate within community based addiction teams. The community addiction teams receive funding from a range of sources including the LDATFs and the HSE in the main.
CPL workers generally work on a one-to-one basis providing a range of services to people awaiting sentence, in prison, on remand and post-release. They visit people in prison and work with them in order to support them while in prison and also to prepare them to return to the community post release. CPL workers develop care plans and encourage prisoners to access treatment and support during their sentence. They also work with prisoners to prepare and plan for further appropriate support post-release.
The Probation Service plays no role in the management of CPL workers (with the exception of the governance arrangements for Fusion).
While the Department of Justice has engaged with the Department of Health in relation to the possible transfer of the funding of CPLs to the HSE, there are no plans to do so at the moment.
