Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 317: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will indicate the methodology used to determine eligibility for rehabilitative, educational or training courses within the Irish Prison Service; the procedures and structures used to determine eligibility; the number refused in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23022/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 119 which outlines the position in this regard.

As the Deputy will be aware from my replies to previous Parliamentary Questions, the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational training, health care, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use the services. On committal, all prisoners are interviewed by the Governor and are informed of the services available in the prison. At this point prisoners may be referred to services or they can self refer at a later date. Where Governors consider, on the information available, that a prisoner needs a particular intervention they will initiate a referral.