Feargal Quinn (Independent)

Figures published last Saturday in The Irish Times indicate that 70% of the wider prison population reoffend after they are released from prison. The Government introduced the Connect scheme some years ago, which dramatically reduced the rate of recidivism among participants. Only 5% of the scheme's participants reoffended and wound up in prison again. The abolition of the Connect scheme some two or three years ago received no publicity. This issue should be debated in the House and I ask the Leader to consider asking the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to debate the prison visiting committee reports. I attended Wheatfield prison on one occasion as part of the Connect scheme with which I was extremely impressed. I was stunned last weekend to learn of its abolition.