Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

591. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide information regarding the current use of in-cell technology by the Irish Prison Service, aside from telephones, with specific reference to information technology; and the details of upcoming plans and pilots due to be rolled out. [4244/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can inform the Deputy that in-cell technology utilised in the Irish Prison Service, aside from telephones, includes the use of restricted mobile devices, such as laptops and tablets.

The Prison Service Psychology Service piloted the use of a restricted mobile device in-cell to conduct individual appointments with a psychologist where clinically necessary during Covid 19. As a result of this successful pilot, restricted mobile device use to conduct individual appointments with psychologists/chaplains is now implemented in all closed prisons across the estate where an outbreak occurs.

The Prison Service also offers restricted mobile device use in-cell as an alternative modality to prisoners based in the National Violence Reduction Unit in order to engage with a Service psychologist.

Funding has been made available in Budget 2022 to commence a trial scheme to introduce the use of mobile tablet devices for Integrated Sentence Management Coordinators to conduct prisoner interviews. The objective of this new project is to improve and increase direct prisoner contact time and enhance record keeping.

Laptops are occasionally provided to prisoners to review evidence for an upcoming legal case, on a case by case basis and subject to the necessary approval. In addition, people in custody who are completing third level courses are provided with laptops, with Governor approval, so that they can continue to type up assignments and access course material while in their cells. Similar to restricted mobile devices, laptops are provided on a temporary basis to the prisoners for as long as they are required.

I can further inform the Deputy that a dedicated prison specific in-cell TV channel is also available in each location, which is in addition to normal TV services. This is a method of communicating information and specifically targeted content directly to prisoners in their cells. It provides for instant universal messaging where an essential or urgent message can be broadcast from a single central source to every in-cell television across the estate in real time. People in custody can access information from a diverse range of prisoner services such as healthcare, psychology, education, library, chaplaincy, Red Cross, Irish Association for Social Inclusion Opportunities (IASIO) and Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI).

It is also utilised to provide ongoing important Covid healthcare information and prison information and advice. Making effective use of digital systems for teaching and learning has been identified as a key objective of the joint Irish Prison Service / Education and Training Boards Ireland Prison Education Strategy 2019 – 2022.

The Prison Service is developing a Blended Learning Plan which will allow prisoners to continue their education through the viewing of educational courses using systems such as the in-cell TV channel.