Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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361. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the ratio of psychologists to prisoners, per prison at the end of 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5419/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The role of the Irish Prison Psychology Service is to deliver, develop and manage an integrated mental health and criminogenic needs assessment and treatment service for people in custody, in line with service plans and objectives, and within established professional standards, guidelines and policy.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that the Psychology Service has the following authorised posts: a Head of Service, a Principal Psychologist Manager, a Principal Specialist Psychologist, 14 Senior Psychologists, 23.4 Psychologists and 14 Assistant Psychologists. The latter is a fixed term contract unqualified grade not included in psychologist numbers or psychologists to prisoner ratios. Owing to the increased commitments to management and supervision by Senior Psychologists, they are calculated at a ratio of 0.5 rather than one WTE psychologist.

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the ratio of psychologists to prisoners by prisonis provided in the table below. This table recognises that the psychology service has vacancies, particularly in Castlerea, Cloverhill, Wheatfield and Midlands Prisons.

*Ratios are based on bed capacity: Most of 2023 witnessed overcrowding in prisons, with the number in custody often being above capacity at various sites. Thus, psychologist to prisoner ratio in 2023, would have been further adversely impacted.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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362. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners on waiting lists to access prison psychology services and addiction services in 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5420/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Irish Prison Service. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.