Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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588. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding penal reform in Limerick Prison. [31315/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that it is the policy to facilitate in as much as possible the placing of a prisoner in a prison as close as possible to their family. However not all prisons are suitable for every prisoner and the Irish Prison Service must also take into account a range of other considerations, such as, the criminogenic profile of the prisoner and the security level of the institution. In this case the prisoner referred to was committed directly to Limerick Women's Prison by the Special Criminal Court.

With regard to conditions in Limerick Prison, the Deputy will be aware that a business case for the modernisation of prison facilities in Limerick Prison is currently being drafted by the Irish Prison Service. Part of the proposed redevelopment includes the provision of high quality prison accommodation for female prisoners with capacity for approximately 50 individual cells and 8 custodial apartments.

The Deputy will also be aware that on 6 March 2014 the IPS published a Women’s Strategy entitled "An Effective Response to Women Who Offend". The Women’s Strategy sets out how the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service will work together, as well as with other statutory, community and voluntary sector partners, to provide women-focused interventions to help reduce offending, improve opportunities for reintegration and to improve outcomes more generally. This co-operative approach is a direct result of the Joint Strategy published last year which aims to deliver more effective offender management.