Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied that treatment for sex offenders in Irish prisons is effective; if measures are in place to ascertain the effectiveness of such treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32780/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The question of treatment for sex offenders in custody is not straightforward and cannot be viewed in isolation. Supports within the community on release can be equally vital to ensuring sex offenders do not re-offend. While the weight of opinion is that cognitive-behavioural approaches to the treatment of sexual offenders show the most promise, not all offenders are amenable to such treatment and unless properly motivated the chances of success with an offender are limited. Even if it were legally possible, there is no gain in forcing offenders to attend such treatment against their will.

A Group involving my Department, the Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service has been established to review the existing arrangements for the management of sex offenders. That review will include the question of treatment and supervision. Three main forms of direct therapeutic intervention for sex offenders currently operate within the Irish prison system. These are as follows:

Group programmes, an intensive version of which has been in operation since 1994 and is currently under review,

Individual counselling from the Irish Prison Service's Psychology Service and from the Probation Service, and

One to one interventions by visiting psychiatrists who provide support to prisoners.

The intensive programme has catered for eight offenders at a time, taking eleven months to complete. Although delivered in Arbour Hill Prison, it has been available to sex offenders in other prisons. A total of 136 sex offenders have completed the sex offender programme to date. The most recent group completed the programme in July 2008.

However, the number of suitably motivated offenders applying for participation on the programme has declined significantly in recent years and this has been a matter of increasing concern. In light of this and in an attempt to engage more sex offenders in appropriate interventions, the Irish Prison Service has initiated a review of interventions currently available. The review will be completed by the end of the year, with new enhanced models of intervention being introduced in January 2009. The Irish Prison Service is also finalising a new Sex Offender Management Policy which examines all aspects of sentence management and resettlement of imprisoned sex offenders.

One-to-one counselling is also a critical method of working with offenders in relation to their sexual offending. In response to such counselling many offenders, who initially might deny responsibility for their crime or deny any need for treatment, are motivated towards some process of change. In 2008 to date, 61 sex offenders have engaged in one-to-one counselling and other interventions with the Psychology Service. The Probation Service also engages with prisoners on a one-to-one basis. Every effort continues to be made to assist sex offenders in custody who are willing to participate at any level in rehabilitation and relapse prevention. Staff levels in the Psychology Service have doubled since 2004 and are now at an all-time high. Further expansion is taking place, with recruitment of one Psychologist and three Psychology Assistants under way.