Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps that have been taken to implement the recommendations contained in IPRT’s Report entitled Picking up the Pieces: The Rights and Needs of Children and Families Affected by Imprisonment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14625/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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A working group has recently been established in the Irish Prison Service to consider the needs of children and families of those imprisoned.

The Irish Prison Service recognises the importance for those in prison of maintaining, and if at all possible, developing their relationships with their children and families. Seeking to accomplish this raises a wide range of sensitivities and challenges which entails achieving an appropriate balance between security and conditions necessary for quality family visits.

The working group has completed a detailed survey of existing visiting facilities and supports. The group will now embark on a short and targeted consultation process with various stakeholders, including relevant community representatives, in order to gain a rich understanding of the nature and quality of the visiting arrangements in each prison. It is envisaged that this consultation process will inform the group’s approach to the detailed recommendations contained in the Irish Penal Reform Trust's : “Picking Up the Pieces: The Rights and Needs of Children and Families Affected by Imprisonment” Report.