Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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564. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of hours the library in each prison is scheduled to open each week; the percentage of scheduled opening times that these libraries were actually open during 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21377/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The number of hours the library in each prison is scheduled to be open is set out in the following table. The libraries for Arbour Hill, Dóchas, Mountjoy and the Training Unit are open as the demand requires.

Libraries in prisons are regarded by prison management as key elements in the process of normalisation and rehabilitation for prisoners. Library services in prisons are mainly provided by Local Authority library personnel deployed to prisons. In some cases, libraries are managed by prison officers or prisoners, with professional librarian oversight. While it is the case that a shortfall in staffing numbers on a particular day can impact negatively on service provision, the Irish Prison Service is actively pursuing the option of having all libraries in prisons managed by long-term, suitably trained prisoners, with professional oversight in order to maximise the service. A contract librarian is currently training up prisoners in the Midlands Prison, Training Unit and Castlerea Prison to meet the most pressing needs.