Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners currently in a centre (details supplied) in County Cavan; the occupational programmes for these prisoners in detention; if he has had any complaints regarding the prisoners being detained there not being vetted properly; if his attention has been drawn to any persons suffering from a heroin addiction being sent to this centre; if sniffer dogs are available in the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43175/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that on 20 November 2009 there were 139 persons in custody in the centre the subject of this Parliamentary Question.

The aims and objectives of open centres is to provide a place of detention aimed at the rehabilitation of offenders through education and training linked with a regime which encourages a sense of personal responsibility and self respect in order to assist them leading law-abiding lives on their return to the community. Generally speaking the profile of offenders sent to open centres includes either low risk offenders who are serving short sentences for minor offences or offenders nearing the end of longer sentences whose transfers have been approved as part of a sentence management programme.

The centre has a modern purpose-built education centre which is equipped with both practical and general purpose classrooms. The education centre caters for approximately 59% of the prisoner population on a weekly basis. Subject areas available to prisoners who attend the education centre include Home Economics, Health Education, Art/Craft, Woodwork, Computers, Music, Physical Education and Science. Among the certification options available are Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, FETAC, ECDL and Open University.

Occupational training is also available to prisoners in catering, laundry and horticulture/farm workshops. Two new workshops have recently been fitted out to provide training in construction skills and industrial cleaning. Two Assistant Industrial Supervisor posts were agreed to run these workshops. Due to the moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the Public Service, the Irish Prison Service has not been able to fill these posts. We are currently examining the options, within the confines of the moratorium, to address this issue.

I have not received any complaints in relation to prisoners detained in the centre not being properly vetted nor has my attention been drawn to any persons suffering from a heroin addiction being sent to this centre. Prisoners transferred to an open centre have, in each case, a wide range of factors taken into account prior to transferring including the nature of their offence, length of sentence, engagement with the therapeutic services and behaviour while in custody. All prisoners are medically assessed on committal to prison and treatment needs are determined based on the clinical presentation.

Prisoners are monitored on an ongoing basis and if they present with a medical difficulty, are again medically assessed and, if necessary, transferred elsewhere for appropriate treatment.

The Irish Prison Service Canine Unit does not currently provide a drug detection dog service to the centre but that situation will change when further dogs and handlers complete their training in 2010.