Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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300. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the long-term plans for the progression unit in Mountjoy Prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27872/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that the Irish Prison Service must make the best use of all available prison capacity.

Sex offenders, both sentenced and remand, were previously accommodated at 4 locations – Midlands Prison, Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison and Mountjoy Training Unit. However, due to limitations at these locations and rising sex offender committals to prison, it was decided to consider other options within the prison estate to accommodate this cohort of prisoner.

The Progression Unit of Mountjoy Prison is self-sufficient in relation to recreation, education, work and training and there is no requirement for prisoners living in this Unit to interact or traverse to the main prison. For this reason, it was decided that the Progression Unit is a suitable location to accommodate sex offenders.

The process of accommodating sex offenders in the Progression Unit commenced during March 2024. On 25 June 2024, there were 57 sex offenders accommodated in the Progression Unit and it is expected that further movements of this cohort of offender to the Progression Unit will take place in the coming months.

Those who are currently accommodated in the Progression Unit, who are not serving their sentences for sex offences will either remain in the Progression Unit or be moved to alternative suitable accommodation within the prison estate.

The Irish Prison Service is committed to making every effort to ensure that the transfers from the Progression Unit will not negatively impact on anyone in terms of how their sentences are being managed.

All transfer decisions will be tailored according to the need and profile of each individual and in all prisons, they will have access to engage in authorised programmes and structured activity. All who are on programmes of temporary release will be facilitated in continuing with such programmes.