Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 February 2025
187. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of people currently employed within the Irish prison service, by role and by prison/office location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3772/25]
View answer194. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of staff within the Irish prison service that are directly involved in the Prison Service escort corp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3801/25]
View answer196. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number people employed directly within female prisons within the Irish Prison Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3803/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 187, 194 and 196 together.
I can advise the Deputies that for security and operational reasons, the Irish Prison Service is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the staff resources allocated to individual prisons. The allocation of staffing across the prison estate is based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison. The number of staff required is influenced by factors including, in particular, the numbers in custody, category of prisoner and regimes and a range of other factors, including the risks and needs associated with specific areas and particular offenders.
However, the total number of FTE staff employed by the Irish Prison Service as at 31 January 2025 is outlined in the table below.
|
Period |
Prison Officers * |
Other Grades ** |
|
31/01/2025 |
Prison Officers * |
Other Grades ** |
|
|
2,321 |
1,227.3 |
* Prison Officers & Recruit Prison Officers.
** Governor Grades, Assistant Chief Officers, Work Training Officers, Chief Officers, Trade Officers, Tutors, Medical Staff, Psychology Staff, Chaplains and Prison Administrative Staff.
The figures provided in the table above do not include Headquarter Staff, but do include fixed term contract staff e.g. Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Psychologists and Research Assistants.
I can also advise the Deputies that Prison Service Escort Corps was established in 2005 to provide a prisoner escorting service and the table below outlines the number of FTE staff assigned to the Prison Service Escort Corp as of 31 January 2025.
|
- |
Prison Officers * |
Other Grades ** |
Total Number of Staff |
|
31/01/2025 |
180 |
21 |
201 |
* Prison Officers & Recruit Prison Officers.
** Governor Grades, Assistant Chief Officers, Work Training Officers, Chief Officers and Prison Administrative Staff.
