Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a report was completed on the possible privatisation of the prison escort service; and if he will provide details of the findings of such report. [16266/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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In 1999, the Director General of the Irish Prison Service appointed a review group for the purpose of reviewing the prisoner transportation system in operation at that time in light of the need for efficiency and cost effectiveness and to make recommendations. Membership of the group consisted of representatives of the Prison Service, the Courts Service and the Garda Síochána.

The group visited Britain and examined the contracted out systems of prisoner escorts services in operation there, meeting with representatives of the service providers and the relevant government officials. Home Office monitors consulted by the group were very positive in their overall assessment of the service providers performance in their particular area and formed the opinion that prisoner escorts services were well researched and equipped, tightly controlled by management, rigidly regulated by the supervisory authority and well received by staff in the criminal justice system and offenders.

The principal findings of the report were that the escorting of prisoners, while requiring the services of trained personnel, does not require the professional and wide-ranging skills of trained prison officers and gardaí, the disruptive and unpredictable nature of the task is not conducive to forward planning and there is some duplication between the Garda Síochána and the Prison Service in the provision of prisoner escort services.

The group identified significant scope for rationalisation and improved cost effectiveness in the provision of this service. While offering two options, the provision of an in-house dedicated prisoner escort service and a contracted out escorts service, the group recommended the contracting out of prisoner escorts, including manning of courts.

The group made this decision in the light of the similarity of current prisoner transportation practices in this jurisdiction with the arrangements which prevailed in Britain prior to the introduction of contracted out services there and the attendant increased cost effectiveness and efficiencies realised therein. It formed the opinion that the establishment of a dedicated in-house prisoner escort service would entail significant organisational structural changes with attendant start-up costs.