Mr. Eddie Mullins:

I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for allowing me to make a submission to the committee. It is a great privilege.

I currently hold the position of governor with responsibility for the management of Mountjoy Prison. I have been employed by the Irish Prison Service for the past 31 years. During my career I have held a number of senior positions in seven of the State's 12 prisons and have been the governor in charge of five different prisons. Throughout my career I have witnessed first-hand the impact of crime on victims and their families, perpetrators and their families, and the wider community. Throughout my career I have witnessed a programme of continuous improvement within the Irish Prison Service. A 20-year programme of prison replacement and refurbishment has seen enormous improvements to prisoner accommodation and facilities. Expansion of prisoner rehabilitation programmes and enhanced security measures have also been significant.

I am acutely aware of the lifelong anxiety and pain endured by victims of crime, particularly violent crime, and I would never want to add to their pain in any way. I firmly believe, however, that providing prisoners with the supports and opportunities to make a positive contribution to society will lead to lower recidivism rates and, ultimately, fewer victims of crime. Prisoners have many complex needs, and if we are to achieve improved outcomes for them, we all, as members of society, need to play our part. The Irish Prison Service faces many challenges in its attempt to get the balance right between society's demand for justice and the protection of its citizens and its desire to rehabilitate its prisoners and facilitate their reintegration into society.

In 2017 more than 70% of people committed to prison in Ireland were unemployed. Prisoners are 25 times more likely to come from and to return to a community of disadvantage and deprivation. A significant number of prisoners have never completed a State exam, with more than 50% leaving school before the age of 15. The Irish Prison Service collaborates with many Departments, statutory agencies and voluntary groups to provide prisoners with the education, skills and supports to facilitate their successful reintegration and, ultimately, to reduce recidivism rates.

As governor, I face daily the challenge of competing demands for resources. Therapeutic, education and work training programmes all require prison officer support to operate efficiently and effectively. External prison escorts to both medical and judicial appointments puts a considerable strain on already limited resources.

As I stated, prisoners' needs are complex and varied, and greater collaboration with State and non-State agencies is required to assist and to support people leaving prison.

Education, in my view, has a very important role to play in sustained rehabilitation. My experience has shown that, although many people in prison today did not have a positive experience with the education system during their formative years, their desire for education and training now, as adults, is quite significant.

Additionally, challenges in areas such as homelessness, addiction issues, employment and training needs, social support and negative labelling are all significant factors that can impede successful reintegration.

The relationship between drug use and criminal activity is very evident, and drug-related intimidation is a significant cause for concern both in communities and within our prisons.

If we are serious about tackling the causes of crime and really supporting communities most affected by crime, I believe we must have greater collaboration with all stakeholders, including prisoners, victims of crime, employers and employer representative bodies, non-Government and Government agencies, and community organisations to examine the issues, identify solutions and implement changes required to improve employment rates among ex-offenders. We require a significant expansion of addiction services spanning both prison and community to facilitate sustained relapse prevention treatment.

I am happy to answer any questions the committee might have.