Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the suicide prevention training available to gardaí; and the percentage of Gardaí that have taken this training up. [39846/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the training of its members and civilian staff and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.

I have requested the information sought from the Garda Commissioner and when it is to hand I will provide it to the Deputy.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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115. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the suicide prevention training available to prison staff; and the percentage of prison staff that have taken this training up. [39847/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that it developed an updated Mental Health Awareness Programme for staff in 2014. The development of this programme was overseen, and approved, by the Mental Health Training Oversight Group, comprising representatives of the healthcare, psychiatry, psychology services, staff support services and the Irish Prison Service College. The programme provides training on all aspects of mental health, including suicide prevention training.

This programme is currently being delivered to all prison staff, and to date 665staff have been trained. This Programme is also being delivered to all Recruit Prison officers as part of their mandatory training schedule.