Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Costello for raising this matter and acknowledge his commitment to reform in the prison sector. I am deputising this evening for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell.

The management of sex offenders, both while they are in prison and in the community, is a matter which the Minister of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, his Department and associated agencies continually consider. Before moving to the substance of this debate, I wish to clarify that my remarks refer to all sex offenders, not just the particular subset who can be classified as paedophiles, although that group raises particular concerns.

While in prison, every effort is made to assist any offender willing to participate at any level in their personal rehabilitation and relapse prevention. There are three forms of direct therapeutic intervention for sex offenders operating within the prison system, namely, individual counselling from the Prison Service's psychology service and from the probation and welfare service; the sex offender programme, in operation since 1994; and one-to-one interventions by visiting psychiatrists who provide support for prisoners.

The second intervention, which receives most media coverage, is the intensive offence-focused group programme. The programme is managed and delivered by members of the probation and welfare service and the Irish Prison Service's psychology service. In keeping with international best practice in this area, the programme is a structured, offence-focused programme, employing a cognitive behavioural approach with a relapse prevention component. A total of 114 sex offenders have completed the sex offender programme to date. A further eight men are undertaking the programme in Arbour Hill Prison.

The number of suitably motivated offenders applying for participation on the sex offenders programme has declined in recent years and this is a matter of concern. The Prison Service is examining this situation to determine what measures may be taken to increase the number of offenders participating on the programme. Several additional psychologists have recently been appointed to the Prison Service. These new psychologists will play an important role in working with offenders to address their offending behaviour, including work with sex offenders aimed at enhancing their preparedness for possible participation on the sex offender programme.

The successful completion of any therapeutic intervention of this nature depends on the full and willing participation of self-motivated individuals. Continual consideration is given to encouraging prisoners to undertake interventions addressing their sexual offending. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Prison Service and the probation and welfare service are collectively examining all the issues involved in increasing the number of sex offenders attending programmes, both in prison and in the community. As well as looking at how to get prisoners into the current programme——

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