Question to the Minister for Justice and Equality (Mr Alan Shatter, TD)
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the accommodation facilities provided for persons who are released from prison; if the Gardai monitor these facilities; if the Gardai receive notification of the persons occupying these premises; the period of time that former prisoners are entitled to reside in these premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. – Jerry Buttimer
For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 18th July, 2013.
REPLY
The Irish Prison Service operates prisoner resettlement as part of the Integrated Sentence Management (ISM) scheme. This focuses on the prisoner’s resettlement needs from the moment of committal to release. Working as part of a prison-based team, the Probation Service helps prisoners to prepare for their release and to settle back into the community without committing crime.
The Probation Service works mainly with prisoners who will be under Probation Supervision after their release from custody. In this instance, where accommodation needs arise the Probation Service works in partnership with a range of organisations including local authorities whose responsibility it is to provide housing, as well as the voluntary housing sector, to provide for these needs.
Notification requirements are provided for in Part 2 of the Sex Offender Act 2001. This includes an obligation by an offender who has been convicted of an offence listed in the Schedule to the Act to notify the Garda Síochána of their name and home address and date of birth within seven days of becoming subject to the notification requirement, and of any subsequent change of address. The Garda Síochána has a well established system in place for the monitoring of persons subject to these requirements.