Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of independent living skills units currently available across the prison estate. [32291/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the first independent living skills unit was opened in Wheatfield Place of Detention in late 2016. The purpose of the unit is to assist prisoners serving long sentences to develop clear and realistic goals in the context of successful sentence progression. The unit replicates community living in as so far as is possible within a closed prison environment and encourages prisoners to take responsibility over their own positive Sentence Management.

The Irish Prison Service further informs me that a second independent living skills unit is planned for Mountjoy Prison and is anticipated to open later this year.