Paul Lawless
Ceist:771. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice the supports available to persons who are newly released from prison; and to provide a list of the agencies responsible for delivering supports. [2143/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 5 February 2025
Ceisteanna (771)
Freagraí scríofa
I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides funding to enable the Irish Association for Social Integration Opportunities to provide Resettlement coordinators in each of our closed prisons.
Resettlement coordinators take a case-management approach to intervening with a prisoner 9 to 12 months pre-release to commence planning for post-release supports, including amongst other functions, working with the individual in custody to submit housing, welfare and medical card applications to appropriate contact points well in advance of release.
The Probation Service supervises people where a court imposes a post release supervision order or where a judge imposes a suspended or part-suspended sentence on condition that the person who has offended remains under the supervision of a probation officer for the specified time that the custodial sentence is suspended.
In addition, a person may be under the supervision of the Probation Service as part of their participation in the Community Return Scheme, an incentivised early release scheme co-managed by the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service. Under the Community Return Scheme, people in prison can be approved for reviewable temporary release coupled with a requirement to complete community service work in a supervised group setting under the supervision of the Probation Service.
The Probation Service funded 61 Community Based Organisations in 2024, in order to develop and deliver services to offenders in their communities, including persons who have been released from prison. These services reduce the likelihood of reoffending and risk of harm to the public and support the client’s re-integration into the community. The Probation Service also funds the IASIO Linkage programme, which is a training, employment and guidance service, supporting offenders to integrate into the working community.
In relation to other supports available, access to post-release supports for offenders mirror those available to the general public. The Deputy may wish to direct queries regarding particular supports and services to the Departments' responsible for these services.