Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
454. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of people released from prison to rehabilitative services in Waterford in each year 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [3016/26]
View answerThe Irish Prison Service is committed to supporting the safe and effective transition of prisoners from custody to the community. A key component of this work is the Integrated Sentence Management process.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has advised that it has appointed 29 dedicated Integrated Sentence Management Coordinators across all prisons and open centres. These Coordinators meet with prisoners serving sentences of more than one year, or any sentence for a sexual offence, to develop structured sentence management plans. This work focuses on addressing risks and needs during custody and preparing for reintegration toward the end of the sentence, including accommodation, employment, education, addiction, mental health and physical health supports.
The IPS release planning policy places a responsibility on staff to take all reasonable steps to facilitate an effective transition from custody to community. This requires close partnership with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure appropriate accommodation, welfare and health supports are in place prior to release.
Two structured temporary release schemes support reintegration:
• Community Return Programme, operated jointly with the Probation Service, which incentivises good behaviour, supports engagement with therapeutic programmes, enhances reintegration, and facilitates reparation through community work.
• Community Support Scheme, which provides enhanced supports for people serving short sentences, including early engagement on risk factors, referrals, and sentence planning.
In March 2023, the Irish Prison Service expanded eligibility criteria for both schemes to allow more people to be assessed for participation.
I am advised that the Irish Prison Service does not maintain a standalone statistical category titled “released to rehabilitative services”. Participation in the Community Return Programme and the Community Support Scheme represents the primary structured rehabilitative release pathways. The figures, set out in Table 1.1 and Table 1.2, reflect the number of prisoners on these schemes with a recorded address in County Waterford at the point of temporary release.
Table 1.1: Community Support Scheme Releases
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year |
Cork |
Midlands |
Portlaoise |
Castlerea |
Total* |
|
2020 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
– |
9 |
|
2021 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
– |
6 |
|
2022 |
5 |
1 |
– |
– |
6 |
|
2023 |
9 |
1 |
– |
– |
10 |
|
2024 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
|
2025 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
– |
7 |
|
Total |
37 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
48 |
*Participation rates in 2020 and 2021 were affected by Covid-19 restrictions.
Table 1.2: Community Return Programme Releases
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- |
|
|
Year |
Number of Individuals* |
|
2021 |
1 |
|
2022 |
4 |
|
2023 |
3 |
|
2024 |
12 |
|
2025 |
11 |
|
Total |
31 |
*Participation rates in 2020 and 2021 were affected by Covid-19 restrictions.
The Probation Service funds and works collaboratively with 56 Community Based Organisations (CBOs), including Treo Port Lairge and Céim Eile, Aiséirí in Co. Waterford.
Treo Port Láirge works very closely with the Probation Service offering a holistic range of social, educational and vocational supports to their clients. Programmes delivered by TREO are designed to challenge harmful behaviours and support participants in building safer, healthier lives.
Céim Eile, Aiséirí is also part funded by the Probation Service. It offers a step-down facility for those who have completed residential treatment. It is an important support for Probation Service clients to further support the efforts that they have made to address their addiction.
JARC (Joint Agency Response to Crime) operates in Waterford. The Joint Agency Response to Crime is a multi-agency response to managing offenders in the community. JARC’s co-partners in Waterford are the Probation Service, An Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service supported by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
