John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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226. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the action taken by his Department to ensure that prison officers who are threatened by prisoners while on duty are given appropriate supports and security; the number of proven cases of threats to officers that were witnessed; the action taken in each case; if officers are paid in full should they take leave arising from such incidents; if such payments are made for long periods of time, if there is a maximum period; if officers injured at work arising from assaults by prisoners are paid in full for the length of time of their recovery; the number of officers out of work due to prisoner assaults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43593/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that upon receipt of notification that a member of staff has been threatened whether on duty or off duty, Operations Directorate immediately action the Irish Prison Service Staff Security Protocol.  Both local Gardaí and Garda HQ are advised of the details of the threat.  An investigation and threat assessment are conducted by Gardaí, and where appropriate, the Irish Prison Service will support the installation of security measures at the officer’s home.  Since 1 January 2016, of the threats reported to Operations Directorate, five have been verified by an Garda Síochána and the appropriate measures taken.

In the event an employee avails of certified sick leave and the absence is deemed to be occupational injury or disease related (under the terms of Department of Finance circulars 1/82 and 6/97), the employee is entitled to 183 days full pay in a rolling 1 year period after which they will be placed on half pay and to 365 days in a rolling 4 year period after which they will be removed from the payroll.  Once an employee is removed from the payroll after reaching the maximum paid sick leave allowed, they may be entitled to Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration. 

However, in the event that the employee’s absence on certified sick leave is not deemed as injury on duty related, paid sick leave entitlements for ordinary illness apply (DPER Circular 12/2015).  The employee is entitled to 92 days full pay in a rolling 1 year period after which they will be placed on half pay and to 183 days in a rolling 4 year period after which they will be removed from the payroll.  Again, they may be entitled to Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration following removal from the payroll.  

In 2015, the Director General of Irish Prison Service obtained sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for a Serious Physical Assault Scheme for Prison Officers which allows that, in cases where an officer has suffered a serious physical assault, full pay may be sanctioned up to a maximum of twelve months.

I am further advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that there are currently 19 employees absent on sick leave as a result of an occupational injury, 6 of which are as a result of an alleged assault by a prisoner.

The first strategic action of the Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan 2016 - 2018 is Staff Support.  The Irish Prison Service has a number of support services which employees have access to; namely Staff Support Officers at local prison level, the National Officers of the Employee Assistance Programme and Inspire Workplaces, which has been contracted by the Irish Prison Service to provide a free counselling service for all IPS staff.  This service is completely confidential and is designed to assist employees in resolving personal or work-related concerns.  It is a 24/7 Freephone helpline, with access to up to 6 follow-up counselling sessions for support covering a wide range of issues.

Furthermore, the Irish Prison Service is introducing the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) model of support for staff.  CISM addresses stress management for prison personnel who may encounter stressful situations not normally experienced by the general public.  CISM provides guidance to staff on how to manage and control stress and reduce or eliminate uncontrolled stress.  CISM comprises of a continuum of care and targets the response of individuals and groups of individuals to traumatic events rather than the incident itself.  It aims to minimise the emotional impact of critical incidents on IPS staff, increases the resistance and resilience of IPS staff to harmful stress and prevent the harmful effects on staff of these incidents by working with and supporting IPS staff at the time of Critical Incidents.