Written answers

Tuesday, 26 April 2005

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Prison Education Service

9:00 pm

Photo of Joe CostelloJoe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of participants in each prison here who are enrolled on the CONNECT project, in particular the number of prisoners who have completed the options programme on the CONNECT project since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12784/05]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The CONNECT project, which was launched in 2000 in the Mountjoy prison complex as part of the Irish Prison Service training and development programme, comprises a number of elements, including the options strand referred to in the Deputy's question. I am informed by the director general of the Irish Prison Service that records of prisoner participation in this training programme are not maintained in such a way as to readily provide exact figures for the number of prisoners undertaking specific strands of the project.

However, I am also informed that the Irish Prison Service has developed and is piloting a service-wide computerised pre-vocational and vocational training programme database to record, on a prisoner-by-prisoner basis, participation in vocational training activity and achievement of recognised qualifications. This database will allow for ongoing monitoring of prisoners' progress and efficient production of management information. The database, once operational, will allow for the production of information of the nature sought by the Deputy.

The CONNECT project is being rolled out at Limerick Prison with support from the National Training and Development Institute. The projects at Mountjoy Prison, the Dóchas Centre and the training unit remain suspended due to the current industrial relations and financial restrictions.

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