Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the plans he has to develop non-custodial, holistic centres for women offenders in the community, which address their needs, vulnerabilities and offending behaviour in a safe, secure, woman only environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14620/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Probation Service is the lead agency in the assessment and management of offenders in our communities. It works in partnership with other statutory and voluntary agencies including the Health Service Executive (HSE) mental health and addiction services to ensure appropriate support and treatment services are provided to Probation Service clients.

Work is in progress between the Probation Service and the Irish Prison Service to develop a strategic action plan targeted at meeting the specific needs of female offenders. These agencies are working together to develop a women centred holistic strategy that seeks to address those factors that lead some women to come in contact with the criminal justice system while also seeking to provide better outcomes for those women in respect of whom the courts deem that a custodial sanction is warranted. The strategy aims to ensure a more targeted response which takes into consideration the particular issues that pertain to female offending.

The overall aims of the action plan will be to identify those women at risk of a custodial sentence and, through the greater use of community supports and inter-agency co-operation, to provide the necessary services that will enable the Courts to divert these women from prison in appropriate cases. The strategy further aims to improve the outcomes for those women in custody; reduce recidivism; strengthen early intervention measures through adopting a co-ordinated, multi-agency approach; and explore the potential of alternatives to custody.

The Probation Service is also working in partnership with Dublin City Council, the HSE, the Irish Prison Service, CDVEC and non-governmental bodies to develop a strategic approach to responding to the needs of vulnerable women in Dublin. This group of women have been identified as requiring enhanced welfare, education, social and health related supports with accommodation, as part of a planned programme of intervention. The individual organisations have examined their existing resources, services and professional skill sets with a view to reconfiguring service operations to bring about a unified response.

Finally, in line with the recommendations in the Report of the Thornton Hall Project Review Group, a group to carry out an all encompassing strategic review of penal policy has recently been established and this group will look at this issue.