Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 39: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the delay in finding a replacement to fill the part-time psychologist position at the Midlands Prison which has been vacant since summer 2006, leaving one full time psychologist to cater for in excess of 450 prisoners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12995/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Irish Prison Service Psychology Service is currently at its highest ever level of staffing, with 16 posts filled. This represents nearly a 100% increase in the number of psychologists working in the IPS since 2002. A significant factor in this increase has been the broadening of the recruitment base of the service, to allow for the recruitment of counselling and forensic psychologists, as well as clinical psychologists, to the IPS.

Historically however, the Irish Prison Service has encountered great difficulty in filling psychology posts in certain geographical areas. One of these is the midlands area. Neither the recruitment competition undertaken by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in June 2006, nor the subsequent competition, undertaken by the Prison Service in September 2006, seeking to recruit a psychologist to work on a contract basis, were successful in filling a post in the midlands area.

Given this situation, the Prison Service has had to consider alternative means of enhancing psychology service provision to the Midlands Prison. With this in mind, a Clinical Psychologist, who has recently taken up a post in Limerick Prison, will be providing an outreach service to the Midlands Prison commencing later this month. This will support the psychologist currently operating in the prison.

The experience of Midlands Prison is indicative of the tight labour market for psychologists in which the Prison Service continues to operate. In the market for psychologists the Prison Service is in competition with other public bodies when trying to attract recruits. Prison presents a very challenging environment to work in and understandably many psychologists prefer to work in less stressful settings. In light of the failure of both general and contract recruitment efforts for services to this particular prison the Director General of the Irish Prison Service is now considering alternative approaches for improving service levels there.