Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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754. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide information on the working and training facilities that have been built as part of the new cell block in the Midlands; the work-training facilities that are available to prisoners on a daily basis within the new cell block at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28022/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational training, healthcare, 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.

The development of prisoner programmes forms a central part of the new Irish Prison Service Three Year Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015. There is a clear commitment in the Strategy to enhance sentence planning, including Integrated Sentence Management, and the delivery of prison based rehabilitative programmes such as education, work training and resettlement programmes. The Irish Prison Service places a strong emphasis on improving prisoners' employability prospects through Work Training activities and accredited vocational training courses. Over 100 workshops and service activities operate across the prison estate and the number of accredited courses and activities has increased in recent years. There are now over 100 qualifications available across 20 skill sets. 1,459 prisoners participated in accredited vocational training courses in 2012 - up from 314 in 2007 - and 1,030 prisoners received certificates in the last year.

A wide range of training workshops and service activities are operating in the Midlands Prison. These include carpentry, metalwork, computers, laundry, waste management, horticulture, industrial cleaning and catering. Prisoners housed in the new accommodation block in the Midlands have access to the existing Work Training activities, other constructive activities - such as gyms, paint parties, cleaning, and reception - as well as to Education. In addition to a recently opened 'Bag and Tag' Tuckshop facility the new block will also have workshop activities in printing/computers, catering training and light industry/craftwork. Soft skills programmes will also be facilitated in the block. It is envisaged that these additional activities will come on stream in the near future once vacancies in the Work Training Officer (WTO) grade are filled through a competition which will be held in the coming weeks.