Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1170. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for a breakdown by prison, in tabular form, for the number and grade of psychologists currently working within the Irish prison psychology service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38330/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, 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 needs 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 advised by the Irish Prison Service that the Psychology Service has the following sanctioned posts including a Head of Service, a Principal Psychologist Manager, a Principal Psychologist Specialist, 13 Senior Psychologists, 22.6 Psychologists, 14 Assistant Psychologists, 2 trainee Psychologists sponsored by the Irish Prison Service (being trained via University College Cork) and 2 additional trainee Psychologists due to commence this month.

The Assistant Psychologists are a fixed term contract unqualified grade not included in psychologist numbers or psychologists to prisoner ratios*. The table below outlines the number and grade of psychologists currently working within the Irish prison psychology service.

The annual recruitment campaign has just come to an end for 2023, with a panel of senior psychologists and psychologists recently formed. It is intended to fill vacancies from the panel before the end of the year. An Assistant Psychologist recruitment campaign is scheduled for later this year. Advertisements for locum psychologists have also proved successful in recent months.

*Assistant Psychologists must be eligible for graduate membership of the Psychological Society of Ireland and are clinically supervised by a qualified Psychologist (assigned by the local Senior Psychologist) and line managed by the local Senior Psychologist (or his/her nominated designate). Supervision is strictly in line with Psychological Society of Ireland Guidelines. Assistant Psychologists role is to -

• Support local and national IPS Psychology Services and enhance the contribution of qualified Psychologists.
• Support the primary care mental health needs of those in custody.
• Provide an enhanced level of support to young people in custody.
• Support service-related initiatives.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on the progress of the four short-term capital projects at Castlerea Prison, Cloverhill Prison, the Midlands Prison and Mountjoy Prison; when these are likely to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38331/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Officials within the Department of Justice and the Irish Prisons Service are continuously working together to identify short, medium and longer term proposals to help manage capacity issues in our prisons as they arise.

While focused on rehabilitation and reducing offending, we also need to continue to invest in our prison estate, to ensure that it is modern and fit for purpose and that it has the capacity to accommodate those committed to prison by the courts.

In recent years, works have been completed to modernise the Mountjoy complex, a new prison was constructed in Cork and additional prisoner accommodation was provided in the Midlands Prison.

Furthermore, the Training Unit in Mountjoy was reopened providing an additional 96 spaces and the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick in late 2022 has provided an additional 90 cell spaces. The new standalone female prison in Limerick is now providing an additional 22 female cell spaces, bringing additional capacity across the estate to in excess of 200 new spaces.

Plans have also been outlined for 4 short-term capital projects at Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy prisons to deliver a minimum of 620 additional spaces. I am continuing to engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to progress an agreed schedule of capital builds, including the delivery of additional Prison spaces.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1172. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for a breakdown by prison, in tabular form, for the number of people working in the Irish Prison Service; the number at each staff level; the number of vacant positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38332/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that for security and operational reasons, the Irish Prison Service is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the staff resources allocated to individual prisons.The allocation of staffing across the prison estate is based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison. The number of staff required is influenced by factors including, in particular, the numbers in custody, category of prisoner and regimes and a range of other factors, including the risks and needs associated with specific areas and particular offenders.

The Irish Prison Service continually monitors the staffing requirements of, and vacancies that arise, in the organisation and recruitment or promotion campaigns are put in place as required. Vacancies can arise as a result of multiple factors including internal and external mobility, promotions and retirements.

The total number of staff employed by the Irish Prison Service and the total number of vacancies as at 31^stAugust 2023 is outlined in the table below.

* Prison Officers & Recruit Prison Officers

** Assistant Chief Officers, Work Training Officers, Chief Officers, Trade Officers, Tutors, Medical Staff, Psychology Staff, Chaplains, Prison Administrative Staff and Governor Grades.

The figures provided above do include fixed term contract staff e.g. Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Psychologists and Research Assistants