Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide details of the mechanisms developed in partnership between the Probation Service, the Irish Prison Service, Cork Prison, and community-based services in order to identify community-based programmes which could act as alternatives to custody for suitable prisoners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13844/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that arising from the publication of the strategy entitled "Unlocking Community Alternatives - a Cork Approach" the Irish Prison Service in co-operation with the Probation Service, statutory and non-statutory community-based services are in the process of establishing a Cork based implementation team to ensure the strategy is progressed and to develop robust community based programmes which could act as alternatives to custody. As this process is at a very early stage of development it is not possible, at this time, to provide details to the Deputy of the mechanisms which may be established.

The Deputy may also wish to note that since October 2011 suitably assessed prisoners have been released from the prisons under a pilot Community Return initiative to complete community work for various voluntary/community groups as part of their resettlement programme. The Community Return scheme is being overseen by a steering group comprising representatives of the Department's Prison-Probation Policy Division, the Irish Prison Service and Probation Service. Community Return will provide increased opportunities for the integration of ex-prisoners in their communities. As well as the unpaid work element, individual prisoners' programmes will also incorporate other interventions to assist in reintegration and rehabilitation. (e.g. education, training, mentoring, treatment, counselling etc.

Prisoners released onto the new scheme will generally perform their unpaid work alongside those doing Community Service work arising from Court orders. In Dublin and Cork, this will be facilitated by the dedicated Community Service teams, elsewhere by the relevant local community team, and in all cases working closely and a co-ordinated way with prison-based colleagues. The Probation Service also utilises its Community Funded projects nationally to support its supervision and management of the risk/needs of offenders in the community.