Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 469: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for rehabilitative or educational programmes in each of the prisons in each of the past three years and to date in 2012; the number of such applications that were successful; the number rejected and for what reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14282/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners recorded as having sought participation in educational or rehabilitative schemes at Mountjoy, Wheatfield and Arbour Hill prisons; the extent to which such applications have been approved and on what basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14284/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 471 together.

The statistics requested by the Deputy are not readily available and would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort that could not be justified where there are other significant demands on resources. However, I can advise that, in addition to education and vocational training, the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of other rehabilitative programmes that include health care, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use the services.

Educational services are available at all institutions and are provided in partnership with a range of educational agencies including notably the VECs and Public Library Services. The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole-time teacher equivalents. Literacy, numeracy and general basic education provision is the priority and broad programmes of education are made available which generally follow an adult education approach. An average of 38% of the prison population attended classes in 2011.

A significant expansion and development of vocational training programmes has taken place in recent years and there are now over 100 workshops in place in our prisons capable of catering for in excess of 800 prisoners each day. There was a significant increase in the number of prisoners who participated in accredited vocational training courses in 2011 when 1,219 prisoners attended such courses.

The Irish Prison Service is in the process of drafting a new Strategic Plan 2012-2014 which will be presented to me, by the Director General, in the first week of April. The Deputy may wish to note that the development of programmes for prisoners will form a central part of this Strategy.