Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 595: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the details of the number of recommendations of the Inspector of Prisons (details supplied) in his report on St Patrick's Institution which have been implemented to date; if he will give a timetable for implementation of the recommendations that have yet to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27943/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention report on St Patrick's Institution contained 14 recommendations.

Eight of these have been implemented. Two of the remaining recommendations, i.e. that remand inmates be kept separate from convicted inmates, and that St Patrick's be replaced with a new building which has proper open space, playing fields, activities and regimes suitable for the age group, will be achieved through the development of the proposed new prison complex at Thornton, County Dublin.

The remaining four recommendations relate to the opening of the new workshops and the B Division facilities. An enhanced industrial staffing structure for the newly refurbished workshops has been agreed. The agreed structure comprises of an Industrial Manager, four Industrial Supervisors and twelve Assistant Industrial Supervisors. Arrangements to fill the posts in question are now in train. The Industrial Manager has already been appointed while the four Industrial Supervisors will be in position shortly. Of the twelve Assistant Industrial Supervisors, three are already in place. The remaining vacancies will be filled by way of internal competitions over the coming weeks.

With regard to the B Division, talks have recently commenced regarding staffing and regimes issues between management at St Patrick's Institution, the local branch of the Prison Officers' Association and the Irish Prison Service.