Written answers

Thursday, 27 April 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Irish Prison Service

5:00 pm

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the recommendations of the St. Patrick's Institution business plan 2003 that have to be implemented; the reason they have not been implemented; and if he plans legislation, Government policy or budgetary changes in relation to this matter within the lifetime of this Dáil. [15679/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Most strategies from the business plan in question have been either partly or fully implemented. Where problems have arisen they have related mainly to the need to impose financial restrictions across the Prison Service in recent years against the backdrop of the industrial relations situation prior to agreement with the Prison Officers' Association on the proposal for organisational change in the Irish Prison Service. While every effort was made to minimise the impact of these restrictions, there was disruption to prisoner programmes and curtailment of planned initiatives. This situation is being reversed as the organisational change programme becomes established and is brought into full operation.

In this regard, the re-opening of newly renovated workshops and the assignment of newly created industrial supervisor posts in the coming weeks will facilitate progress in this area. It is also hoped to bring new education facilities at St. Patrick's into operation in the near future. I have been assured by the director general of the Irish Prison Service that he regards the issue of the regime for prisoners in St. Patrick's as a major priority.

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