Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not really sure about the proposition in the UK, to which Deputy Chambers refers. In terms of prison policy, I would not be looking to the UK in terms of best practice in prisons. I take on board what the Deputy said in terms of the provision of in-service programmes, be they in the areas of health and education. There are many programmes in our prison service. I point to the recently opened violent prisoner unit in Portlaoise which draws from expertise not only in the justice sector but across the health sector, in terms of psychiatric support and ongoing psychological monitoring and health services. This is an ongoing programme of work. Any specific programme that Deputy Chambers would like the Irish Prison Service to look at, I am sure it would be open to the suggestion.