OVER 60% OF prisoners in Ireland are involved in some form of training.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald showed the Dáil figures last month which show 63% of Ireland’s 3,741 prisoners were in either education or vocational training at the end of August.

She said the services are available to all in the prison system.

On committal, all prisoners are interviewed by the Governor and are informed of the services available in the prison. Prisoners may then be referred to services or they can self refer at a later date. Where Governors consider, on the information available, that a prisoner needs a particular intervention, they will initiate a referral.

Fitzgerald added that the Prison Service has been working to enhance these programmes.

“Enhanced partnership arrangements with accrediting bodies such as City and Guilds, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, and the Guild of Launders and Cleaners and the centralising of coordination and quality assurance arrangements have enabled the Irish Prison Service to extend the number of available courses and activities with certification.

Fitzgerald said that the “development of prisoner programmes forms a central part of the Irish Prison Service three year plan”.