Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the education or literacy needs of persons are assessed when they enter the custody of the Irish Prison Service. [12522/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that literacy supports form an important element of the prison education curriculum. The literacy curriculum concentrates on the needs of the individual and aims to improve self-esteem and build confidence.

All prisoners who come into the Education Centre of each prison have an individual interview to assess their educational attainments, needs and interests. Those with literacy difficulties are identified at this stage and are prioritised for support. Such prisoners are asked to undertake the Adult Basic Education (ABE) test to assess their literacy levels.

The Irish Prison Service is currently exploring the feasibility of surveying the prison population using the 8 key competences for lifelong learning as defined by the European Commission. These include literacy and language competence along with mathematical and digital competence. Expressions of Interest have been sought from Irish Universities to enter into a research partnership with the Irish Prison Service to undertake this survey.

I can inform the Deputy that the education service in Irish Prisons devotes considerable resources to the provision of basic literacy education for persons in custody. In conjunction with this professional service the Irish Prison Service facilitates a peer led basic literacy service amongst persons in custody called “Toe by Toe” where those with poor literacy and/or learning difficulties are mentored by individual volunteers who are also persons in custody but who receive specific training in this regard.

The Department of Education & Skills on a partnership basis provides the Irish Prison Service with 220 whole time equivalent teaching posts. I am informed by officials in the Irish Prison Service that many of these educators have completed modular courses in dyslexia, ESOL ( English for Speakers of Other Languages), adult literacy etc, and frequently work with students in prison on a one-to-one basis.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the details of education provision in Irish prisons. [12523/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that broad programmes of education are provided in each prison, which generally follow an adult education approach. The aim of the Education Service is to deliver a high quality, broad, flexible programme of education that helps prisoners cope with their sentence, achieve personal development, prepare for life after release and establish an appetite and capacity for life-long learning.

Educational services are available at all institutions and are provided in partnership with the Educational Training Boards (ETBs) and a range of other educational agencies. The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole-time teacher equivalents to the prisons through the ETBs in the current academic year 2015/16. The Service seeks to deliver relevant programmes that cater for holistic needs, ensure broad access and high participation, and prioritise those with basic education needs. It promotes the principles of adult and community education and supports a multi-disciplinary approach within the prison system.

Programmes are adapted to take account of the diversity of the prisoner population and the complex nature of prison life, including segregation requirements and high levels of prisoner turnover. Educational courses and curricula which are based on individuals participating in one or more subject areas for an academic year and then sitting examinations are only appropriate for a small number of prisoners.

The Junior and Leaving Certificate courses are available but increasing numbers of prisoners require a more flexible curriculum which has multiple entry and exit points that take account of prior educational attainment. FETAC accreditation is therefore widely used with assessment by portfolio compilation. All prison Education Centres meet the quality assurance standards demanded by FETAC.

Organisations who provide in-reach education and complementary roles include Open University, the Samaritans, the Red Cross, Grow, Toe by Toe, Writers and Artists in prison. Other courses run through the education centres include pre-release programmes, parenting, hairdressing and Alternatives to Violence.

The Irish Prison Service has recently completed a new joint Education Strategy with the ETBs for the 2016 to 2018 period. The Strategy encompasses the following broad areas:

strategic Action 1: Supporting the Prison Education Service.

Strategic Action 2: Accredited and Non-Accredited Education and Digitalisation

Strategic Action 3: Consultation and Integration

Strategic Action 4: Service Quality Benchmarking

I will be launching this Joint Strategy along with the new 3 Year Strategic Plan for the Irish Prison Service next month.