Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1686. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the risk assessment process undertaken by the Irish Prison Service in advance of requiring prisoners to share cells with one another; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46959/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Prison Service does not have the option of refusing committals and must accept all people committed by the courts.

I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that a committal risk assessment process has been built into the Prisoner Information Management System (PIMS). This process alongside existing information contained on Prisoner Information Management allows a prison Governor to make an informed decision with regard to cell sharing, where a risk or need has been identified.

This Prisoner Information Management System was deployed on 21 June 2018 and is now operational in all prisons.

On occasion additional information is provided during the court process or by Gardaí when lodging a prisoner and this information will also be included in any risk assessment process.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that given that the prison system is currently operating at 117% of capacity, the implementation of risk based decisions may be subject to the availability of suitable accommodation. Additionally, where a person is committed late in the evening or at weekends the committal risk assessment may not be completed in advance of the assignment of cell accommodation but a newly committed prisoner may declare that they are under threat from a particular person or factions and this would be factored into any cell allocation.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1687. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults that occurred in 2024 and to date in 2025, by prison and location of assault in each prison for example, cell, yard, landing, workshop and so on, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46960/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the number of prisoner-on-prisoner DPA's (direct physical assaults) for 2024 by prison location is available on the Irish Prison Service website.

www.irishprisons.ie/wp-content/uploads/documents_pdf/Table-of-assults-on-prison-staff-and-prisoners-2023-2024.pdf.

A further breakdown of this data is provided in the table below for 2024. I am further informed by the Irish Prison Service that assault figures are published on an annual basis; therefore, data for 2025 is not yet available at the time of this response.

**Other includes areas such as kitchens, walkways, visiting areas, school/library etc.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1688. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of recruit prison officers who completed training in communication and de-escalation skills in the years 2022 to date in 2025; the number of prison officers who completed training in communication and de-escalation skills as part of their continuous practice development in each of the years 2022 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46961/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1689. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of recruit prison officers who completed control and restraint training in the years 2022 to date in 2025; the number of prison officers who completed control and restraint training as part of their continuous practice development in each of the years 2022 to date in 2025, tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46962/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1688 and 1689 together.

I propose to take PQs 46961/25 and 46962/25 together.

All Recruit Prison Officers complete ‘Control and Restraint’ and ‘Communications and De-Escalation’ training in Semester 1 (12 weeks in the Irish Prison Service College).

Both of these topics have significant cross-over as effective and assertive communication forms part of the escalation pathways when dealing with indiscipline in prison settings.

In the years 2022 to date in 2025, 763 recruit prison officers completed control and restraint training which includes Communications and De-Escalation elements.

In the years 2022 to date in 2025, 2280 prison officers have completed control and restraint training which includes Communications and De-Escalation elements as part of their continuous practice development.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1690. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of planned physical interventions that is, incidents of planned use of force that took place in the years 2022 to date, by prison and location of the intervention in each prison for example, cell, yard, landing, workshop and so on; the number of spontaneous physical interventions that is, incidents of spontaneous use of force that took place in the years 2022 to date, broken down by prison and location of the intervention in each prison for example, cell, yard, landing, workshop and so on, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46963/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available.

I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.