496. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the total number of persons currently in prison for serious crimes, less serious crimes or what are deemed to be minor offences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60974/22]

Minister for Justice: I can advise the Deputy that I have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that the recording of offences is not classified by minor, less serious or serious. According to the latest snapshot of the prison population taken on the 30th November 2022 there were 4,369 persons in custody, of which 3,409 were sentenced prisoners.

A breakdown of the sentenced population by Offence Group description, classified by gender is set out in the table below. 

The Irish Prison Service also have advised that detailed statistical information in relation to numbers in prison custody, prison sentences and length of sentences is available on the Irish Prison Service website www.irishprisons.ie. This information can be found on the Irish Prison Service website in the Information Centre – under Statistics and Information. Statistics available include daily prison population, monthly information note statistics, snapshot statistics and yearly statistics.

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Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 494, 498 - Departmental data [Prison] [60971/22, 60977/22].

494. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners currently on educational or rehabilitative courses while in prison; the extent to which the numbers have remained consistent over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60971/22]

498. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which rehabilitation and education continues to be offered to first-time offenders in prison; the number of such persons currently accessing such courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60977/22]

Minister for Justice, I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 and 498 together.

The Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative and educational programmes that offer purposeful activity to prisoners while serving their sentences and which encourage them to lead law abiding lives on release.  These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use the services, including first time offenders and repeat offenders.   

I can advise the Deputy that it is not possible to provide statistics in relation education and rehabilitation offered to first time offenders, as the manner in which statistics are compiled does not distinguish between first time offenders and repeat offenders.  

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a snapshot for the week of 17 October 2022 to 21 October 2022 has identified 1,787 prisoners engaged in educational courses.   Prisoners may attend one or more classes per week.   Details of the number of prisoners engaging in educational services in comparative weeks in the years 2019 – 2022 are outlined in the table below.

As well as seeking to draw on best practice in adult and further education in the community, curriculum development that is specific to prison circumstances have taken place and this includes courses on addiction, health issues and offending behaviour. Other areas where there has been significant progress in prison education are in physical education, in the arts, in preparing prisoners for release and supporting their transition to life, and often to education, on release from prison.  

The Irish Prison Service is in the process of developing its 2023 – 2026 Strategy.  Central to this strategy will be building on the lessons learned over the past two years and further developing the new modalities of learning that have been introduced, including a move away from classroom only learning and adopting a blended approach to the delivery of education. 

By harnessing new technologies and methods for the delivery of educational content the Service can ensure that prisoners are facilitated to continue their learning beyond scheduled classes and extend the delivery of education to people who may not be able to attend prison school due to restrictions on their regime. 

The prisons work and training function provides work, work-training and other purposeful activities to all those in custody. Work Training Officers have been appointed and assigned to areas such as catering, laundry, industrial cleaning and industrial skills.  I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a snapshot for the week of 17 October 2022 to 21 October 2022 has identified 832 prisoners engaged in work and training activities.  Prisoners may attend one or more work and training activity per week.  Details of the number of prisoners engaging in work and training services in comparative weeks for the years 2019 – 2022 are outlined in the table below.