Parliamentary Question: Prison Visiting Centres

21st March 2002

161. Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the assistance he can provide to the visitors centre in Cloverhill Prison, Dublin 10 in view of the fact that they are very short-staffed and are looking for two additional workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9676/02]
 
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue): The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Religious Society of Friends jointly manage, on behalf of the Prisons Service, visitors centre waiting rooms which are attached to a number of prisons, including Cloverhill Prison. Their work is in support of prisoners' families as they wait to meet the prisoner in the relevant prison. The Prisons Service fully recognises the work being undertaken at the visitors centres. In that context the following support funding was or is being provided from official funds as follows: in 2000, £250,862.00; in 2001, £395,948.00 - the original amount granted was £275,848 - and in 2002, €571,382.13 or £450,000.00. The Deputy will appreciate that, from the sums mentioned, sizeable amounts of money have been made available to manage the visitors' centres. However, there is a need to ensure that these centres are managed properly within agreed budgets.

The purpose of these centres is to provide refreshments, a child minding service during the course of visits and very limited counselling or referral services to prisoners' families. I understand that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Religious Society of Friends are currently reviewing their operations at these centres, including Cloverhill, from a financial and management perspective. The Prisons Service is contributing towards the financial costs of that review.