Written answers

Wednesday, 15 September 2021

Department of Justice and Equality

Prison Service

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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560. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated full year cost of recruiting three additional full-time occupational psychologists and six additional psychologists for the Irish Prison Service in tabular form. [43890/21]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The role of the Psychology Service in the Irish Prison Service is to deliver, develop and manage an integrated (mental health and criminogenic need) assessment and treatment service for people in custody, in line with service plans and objectives, and within established professional standards, guidelines and policy. 

I am informed that at present, there are no occupational psychologists employed by the Irish Prison Service. However, should occupational psychologists be recruited into the organisation, the estimated full year cost of recruitment would be dependent on the pay scale applicable at that time which would be subject to approval from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

I am further informed that the Irish Prison Service currently employ various other psychologist grades, including;

- Head of Psychological Services, Principal Psychologist Manager,

- Senior Psychologists (Grade I),

- Staff Grade Psychologists (Grade II), and

- *Assistant Psychologists.  

The figures provided in Table 1 are Payscale of a Staff Grade Psychologist (Grade II) per annum and are based on the incremental pay scale as at 1 October 2020.

Table 1 - Payscale of a Staff Grade Psychologist (Grade II) appointed after 6 April 1995 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
€55,169 €58,680 €61,183 €63,782 €66,382 €68,952 €71,084 €75,879 €80,208 €84,604

€88,171

NMAX


€90,926

LSI1


€93,690

LSI2

The information sought by the Deputy in respect of the estimated cost of providing six additional Staff Grade Psychologists (Grade II) to the Irish Prison Service is provided in Table 2. 

Table 2 - Cost of  providing six Staff Grade Psychologists (Grade II) to a Prison 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
€331,014 €352,080 €367,098 €382,692 €398,292 €413,712 €426,504 €455,274 €481,248 €507,624

€529,026

NMAX


€545,556

LSI1


€562,140

LSI2

*Assistant Psychologists are an unqualified grade, employed on a one year fixed term contract basis only and are not included in client to Psychologist ratios.

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