33. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the steps she intends taking to tackle overcrowding in our female prisons in Dublin and Limerick; if it is intended to provide an open centre with addiction support services for those for whom such a centre would be more appropriate than a conventional prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60517/22] 

Heather Humphreys, Minister for Justice: As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed into their custody by the Courts. As such, the Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time, and the prison system is, of course, subject to peaks and troughs.  Numbers are particularly high when the courts are at their busiest and following the return to a more normal level of court activity now that Covid restrictions have been lifted, committal numbers have increased across the prison system. 

Where the number of prisoners exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, my officials make every effort to deal with this through a combination of inter-prison transfers and structured temporary release. Decisions in relation to temporary release are considered on a case by case basis and the safety of the public is paramount when those decisions are made. 

As the Deputy will be aware the Government has provided significant capital funding to the Irish Prison Service in order to enhance the existing prison infrastructure. 

In this regard the new female accommodation in Limerick prison, which will provide 22 additional female spaces, is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2023. 

The design of the new facility is based on the principle of rehabilitation and normalisation reflecting contemporary design standards.  A mix of accommodation units are being provided based around an external courtyard setting.  When open, this new facility will represent a complete change in the standard of accommodation and rehabilitative supports for women prisoners at that facility. 

The Irish Prison Service engages Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to provide a prison-based addiction counselling service in all Prisons, including the Dochas Centre and Limerick Female Prison. This service includes structured assessments and evidence-based counselling interventions, with clearly-defined treatment plans and goals. 

The MQI service provides a range of counselling and intervention skills related to substance misuse and dependency. These skills include, motivational interviewing and enhancement therapy, a twelve step facilitation programme, cognitive behavioural therapy and harm reduction approaches. Prisoners are offered one to one counselling and group work interventions.

_________________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 59 - Prison service [60359/22]

59. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the steps being taken by her Department to promote and to support the reduction of reoffending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60359/22] 

Heather Humphreys, Minister for Justice: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government 2020 contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society, with a specific commitment to review policy options for prison and penal reform. 

In respect of delivering on this commitment the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 was published in August 2022. This review is a very important development as we seek to reduce crime prevent offending and make everyone safer. 

To reduce offending and reoffending and better support victims, families and communities, the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 identifies measures to expand community based sanctions that reflect the needs of Ireland’s diverse society; drive rehabilitative interventions that sustain desistance from offending; reduce the reliance on prison as a sanction and mitigate overcrowding in prisons; and embed collaborative, innovative approaches to the complex causes of offending at all stages of the criminal justice system. 

The relationship between substance misuse and offending behaviour is well understood with a history of substance misuse a strong predictor for reoffending. 

In this regard, and in fulfilment of another Programme for Government commitment, the Final Report and Recommendations of the High Level Task Force to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector was published by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Health in September 2022. 

The recommendations of the Task Force ensure better support for people at the earliest point at which they come into contact with the criminal justice system seeking to divert them away from it where possible, while supporting them in their rehabilitation from addiction and in the recovery and management of their illness. Further, the recommendations seek to address the question of better support for prisoners in their rehabilitation when justice requires a prison sentence, and that the progress made in prison is not lost after release which is the foundation upon which the system works with that person to build a better future. 

In addition, Minister Browne published the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 last year, which provides a developmental framework to support children and young people subject to multiple disadvantage and guide them away from involvement in anti-social or criminal behaviours. 

There are currently 105 Youth Diversion Projects in operation, which are community based organisations that are a key support to An Garda Síochána in the operation of the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme under the Children's Act 2001. The intention (in line with the Youth Justice Strategy) is to provide full geographic availability of youth diversion services throughout the State by the end of 2023. 

To that end, Minister Browne secured almost €780,000 in funding from Budget 2022 to expand the  Youth Diversion Project network. The Department has invited proposals this week from community and youth service organisations to establish new Youth Diversion Projects in South Monaghan, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, South and East Co. Wicklow and West Cork. 

An additional €2.5 million was secured in Budget 2023, to a total of €30.5 million, to implement the Youth Justice Strategy – this will help us expand these important services to everyone who needs them to create better outcomes for young people.

 Expressions of interest in principle from community-based organisations in establishing new Youth Diversion Projects in any of these areas should be submitted to yjs@justice.ie by 12 January 2023, having regard to the operational requirements as set out at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/1a1cd-youth-diversion-projects/.