Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners incarcerated here; the number of prison drug treatment places available; the number of prisoners enrolled in education programmes; the number of prisoners incarcerated for sexual offences; the number of places available for rehabilitation of sexual offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40783/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that on 17th November, 2008 there were 3,672 persons in custody. The Irish Prison Service continues to work to implement its Drugs Policy & Strategy, entitled Keeping Drugs Out of Prisons, which was launched in May 2006. Working to fulfil the commitments contained in the Policy and Strategy involves the implementation of stringent measures to prevent drugs from getting into prisons while, at the same time, continuing to invest in services within prisons to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in the prisoner population as well as meeting prisoners' treatment and rehabilitative needs.

Currently, any person entering prison giving a history of opiate use and testing positive for opioids on committal is offered a medically assisted symptomatic detoxification for operational reasons. Patients can, as part of the assessment process, discuss with health care staff other treatment options which may include stabilisation on methadone maintenance for persons who wish to continue on maintenance while in prison and when they return to the community on release. Methadone maintenance is available in 8 of the 14 places of detention accounting for over 80% of the prison population. Details of the number of prisoners treated with drug related problems since 2003 are set out in the following table.

The Medical Unit in Mountjoy Prison has spaces specifically allocated for a dedicated drug detoxification programme. Each multidisciplinary programme has a duration of 6 weeks and the programme has a capacity of 9 prisoners at a time. The programme involves both prison based staff and external agencies and is aimed at assisting prisoners who have indicated a desire to move from either a situation of current drug use or existing substitution programme to drug free status.

Education in prisons is delivered by way of partnership between the Irish Prison Service and a range of educational agencies from the community. Vocational Education Committees (VECs) and Public Library Services make the largest contribution to, and are the mainstay of, the Prison Education Service. The Department of Education and Science provided an allocation of 220 whole-time teacher equivalents to the prisons through the VECs in the academic year 2007/08.

It is estimated that 50% of all prisoners were involved in some education during 2007. Of the total prison population 25% were intensively involved, i.e. for more than 10 hours per week. This level of involvement in education whilst in prison is high by international standards.

On 17th November, 2008 there were 299 persons in custody serving sentences for sexual offences. The question of treatment for sex offenders in custody is not straightforward. 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 an offender is properly motivated the chances of success 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.

As I have advised the House before, 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. Therefore 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 the sentence management and resettlement of imprisoned sex offenders.

One-to-one counselling is 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. 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.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average cost to the State per year for each prisoner incarcerated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40784/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The average cost of keeping a prisoner in custody during the calendar year 2007 was €97,700. The average cost is calculated by dividing the annual running costs of the Irish Prison Service by the average daily number of offenders incarcerated during the year. These costs include certain items which are fixed regardless of the number of offenders in custody, e.g. staffing numbers, utilities. In general, capital expenditure is excluded from the calculation in the interests of facilitating comparison between individual institutions. However, certain building projects under the heading 'small works and environmental projects' are included.