Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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135. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department will expand wraparound services for prisoners to support rehabilitation, reduce re-offending and assist with re-integration into society. [12473/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to building stronger, safer communities, by progressing policies aimed at reducing offending and diverting people away from the criminal justice system through the provision of effective rehabilitation.

There are no quick fixes to reducing reoffending and evidence shows that different targeted interventions are needed, including addressing the underlying causes of offending behaviour.

To support rehabilitation, reduce reoffending and assist with reintegration into society, people in custody have access to a growing range of medical and rehabilitative services. These include methadone substitution treatment, counselling, psychological intervention, peer to peer support programmes, psycho-education and the Treatment and Rehabilitation Programme provided by Merchants Quay Ireland, available in the Medical Unit in Mountjoy Prison.

Treatment provided to people in custody who may be struggling with addiction is in line with the National Drug Strategy, the Irish Prison Service Drugs Strategy 2023-2026, the Irish Prison Service Health Needs Assessment and the High Level Task Force on the mental health and addiction challenges of persons interacting with the criminal justice system.

The Irish Prison Service also works closely with Alcohol Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous who provide support to people in custody across the prison estate.

These interventions are not solely with the power of the criminal justice system to respond, but also require action, including follow up access to services on release, by other Departments and agencies.

My Department is implementing a range of policies to achieve this. The Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform includes the increased use of alternatives to custodial sanctions while the recommendations of the High-Level Taskforce consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector.

Building Pathways Together, the 2025-2027 Criminal Justice through Reintegration Strategy, was launched in November 2024. The strategy seeks to provide effective interventions to ensure that those who have ceased offending, and those who are looking to move away from a life which involves offending, have the appropriate supports and opportunities open to them to make the success of their efforts more likely.

It has been developed by my Department, in conjunction with the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service, and in consultation with key stakeholders, including Government Departments, agencies and those with lived experience of the criminal justice system who have faced barriers to reintegration.