Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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54. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the allocation for the Irish Prison Service, IPS, in 2016, 2011 and 2006; the detail of the management structure of the IPS; the salary structure for the top ten personnel; the other allowances and expenses available to these top ten personnel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29836/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The budgetary allocation for the Irish Prison Service for the years referred to by the Deputy were as follows:

2016 - €332,058,000

2011 - €349,583,000

2006 - €389,572,000

The Irish Prison Service operates as an executive agency within the Department of Justice and Equality. It is headed by a Director General supported by five Directors (two of these posts are currently vacant).

The Irish Prison Service's management structure provides for four Governor grades - Campus Governor, Governor 1, Governor 2 and Governor 3. There are currently three Campus Governors, one Governor 1, eight Governor 2s and 13 Governor 3s. There are also Deputy Governor and Assistant Governor grades.

The top ten personnel hold the grades of Director General, Director, Campus Governor, Governor 1 and Governor. The top and bottom points of the current payscales (PPC rate) for these grades are set out below:

Director General: €163,372 (single point on scale)

Director of Care and Rehabilitation: €135,994 (single point on scale)

Director: €85,127 - €103,976

Campus Governor: €112,899 - €117,811

Governor 1: €78,912 - €98,065

Governor 2: €71,738 - €90,141

Directors, not including the Director General and the Director of Care and Rehabilitation, receive an annual Director's allowance of €12,608. Governors, except Campus Governors, receive an Operational Allowance of 8%, Rent Allowance of €4,017 per annum, Plain Clothes Allowance of €441 per annum and a Governor's Allowance of between €5880 and €7049.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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55. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied that no gender discrimination exists in the prison system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29837/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service operates within the parameters set out in Irish, European and international human rights law and promotes equality and human rights through its policies and practices.

Separation of male and female prisoners is provided for under Section 52 of the Consolidated Prison Rules 2007-2014. Female prisoners are accommodated in the Dóchas Centre which is a separate facility for females within the Mountjoy Prison Campus and female offenders in the Munster area are accommodated in Limerick Female Prison.

At present, there is no open prison facility for females, however in the joint Probation Service/Irish Prison Service Women's Strategy 2014 - 2016, "An Effective Response to Women who Offend", the Irish Prison Service gave a commitment to explore the development of an open centre/open conditions for women assessed as low risk of re-offending. A joint Prison Service/Probation Service working group considered an open centre for women and decided to recommend step down facilities for women as a more practical and cost effective way to address the deficit rather than developing an open centre for women. In this regard, I have given approval to the Heads of the Irish Prison Service and Probation Service to proceed to scope the possibility for the development of a step down unit for women in Dublin.