Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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89. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which adequate resources remain available to ensure education and rehabilitative training in respect of all prisoners; if adequate prison space is available to facilitate this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51738/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners availing of rehabilitative training and education while in prison; the extent to which this number has fluctuated in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52033/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 268 together.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that it provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes can offer purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead law abiding lives on release.  These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use the services.  

The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole time teacher equivalents to the Prison Service through the Education and Training Boards. Education in prisons is delivered in partnership between the Education and Training Boards and the Irish Prison Service with a focus on providing education which is quality assured, student centred and which facilitates lifelong learning. The partnership endeavours to meet the needs of students through helping them cope with their sentence, achieve personal development and prepare for life after release. A broad and flexible curriculum is provided which ranges from basic literacy classes and peer led tutoring to Open University. There is an increasing focus on Quality and Qualification Ireland "QQI" accreditation as the modular structure best meets the needs of students in prison.  On some occasions, prisoners may have to wait for a place to become available on an educational programme.

In October this year an average of 45.8% of the prison population participated in educational classes compared with 43.7% in the same month in 2012.

The guiding principles which underpin the prisons' work and training service are to make available, work, work-training and other purposeful activities to all those in custody.  Training activities are chosen to give as much variety as possible and also to give opportunities for those in prison to acquire practical skills which will help them secure employment on release.

In October this year an average of 25% of the prison population participated in work training activities compared with 24% in the same month in 2012.

Other areas where there has been significant progress in prison education are in physical education, in the provision for higher education, in the arts and in preparing prisoners for release and supporting their transition to life, and often to education, on the outside.  A top priority for the Irish Prison Service is ensuring help for those with reading and writing problems and peer mentoring programmes are currently active in all of our prisons.

Prison Management are keen to ensure that all prisoners have access to education and training, including those who are segregated.  Education classes are provided to those who are segregated, as appropriate, and they are provided with reading materials, education and art resources.

The guiding principles which underpin the prisons' work and training service are to make available, work, work-training and other purposeful activities to all those in custody.  Training activities are chosen to give as much variety as possible and also to give opportunities for those in prison to acquire practical skills which will help them secure employment on release. 

The Irish Prison Service has also been expanding the number of accredited courses and opportunities available to prisoners in Work Training in recent years. Enhanced partnership arrangements with accrediting bodies such as City and Guilds and the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers and the centralising of coordination and quality assurance arrangements have enabled us to extend the number of available courses and activities with certification

Over the prison estate, Work Training has over 120 workshops with a capacity for 1200 prisoners.

Over the prison estate, Education has over 200 classrooms with a capacity for 1664 prisoners.