Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank an Leas-Chathaoirleach. All of our guest speakers are very welcome. I was also going to ask about the temporary release, as I read just again now what was said by IPRT in seeking clarification. With regard to prison officers; prisoners also tend to be very reliant on the staff to process these applications. My understanding is that the local gardaí of the person applying would also be consulted by the Irish Prison Service. Is that not the case or perhaps I am mistaken in that regard? What is the view of the prison officers about having an independent body separate to the prison officers because my understanding is that these officers help a great deal with the processing of forms, etc., by prisoners who may have literacy issues? The IPRT mentioned this issue. I want to ask the Prison Officers Association about the education and training. We hear a great deal about this matter. Over the past year or two, we have had a number of briefings on penal reform and the numbers of prisoners, for example. I believe in previous hearings we heard that 4% of remand prisoners were in prison for more than one year in 2019 and that was up to 12% in 2021. It declined slightly last year.

There are many prisoners, and certainly more than there used to be, on remand. What opportunities are there, if any, for them? Is it the case that where there are pressures on staff, the schools and the shop are, from what we have been hearing, the first of the facilities to be cut for prisoners? I would be slightly worried about the conditional element in the draft general scheme which states to the effect that full regard will be had "to the resources that are available”. I understand that two counsellors were provided to the Midlands Prison by the Merchants Quay Ireland service. That is an indication of the limitation on resources, not to mention the position relating to psychologists and everything else.

Would the witnesses have concerns about the resources that are available or would they have any comment to make on that? We often hear, particularly from prisoners, that rehabilitation is very limited in going through the system.