Prison Service

463. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the details of the procurement process undertaken in respect of the nearly €25,000 payment by the Irish Prison Service to persons (details supplied); if a formal tender was conducted; and if he will provide the business case or approval note underpinning this expenditure. [53853/25]

464. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any Irish Prison Service payments to podcasts, influencers, or media outlets since 1 January 2020 were made in multiple tranches of under €25,000 each; and if he will clarify whether this practice was used to avoid triggering public tender thresholds. [53854/25]

465. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is satisfied that all Irish Prison Service expenditure on podcasts, influencers, and media outlets since 2020 has complied fully with public procurement law and with the Department’s internal governance requirements; and if he will outline the oversight his Department exercised in approving these expenditures.…

466. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total expenditure by the Irish Prison Service on consultancy, media services, and public relations between 1 January 2020 and 30 September 2025; if he will provide a breakdown by year; and if he will specify which contracts were subject to open competitive tender. [53856/25]

467. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will request the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct a detailed review of Irish Prison Service expenditure on media, podcasts, and influencer contracts since 2020. [53858/25]

468. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide a list of all foreign travel undertaken by senior Irish Prison Service executives since 1 January 2020, including the destination, purpose, number of staff travelling, and total cost to the taxpayer in each case. [53859/25]

469. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total cost of single modular housing units provided by the Irish Prison Service since 1 January 2020; the procurement process used for these units; and if he will provide a breakdown of the number of units purchased and their individual costs. [53860/25]

342. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number and percentage of prisoners attending prison education and training centres at present and during each of the past five years; the strategy to ensure greater take-up of such provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52637/25]

682. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason the modern, state of the art courtroom and facilities at Castlerea prison continue to lie idle and unused, resulting in prison staff and prisoners having to regularly undertake a 5-hour round-trip to attend Letterkenny district court instead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51385/25]

709. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total sum, inclusive and exclusive of VAT, paid by the Irish Prison Service to the presenters of a podcast (details supplied) in 2025; the date on which the payment was made; and the budget line from which it was drawn. [51785/25]

710. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the procurement process used by the Irish Prison Service in commissioning promotional content from a podcast (details supplied); if a competitive tender process was undertaken; if so, the number of bids received; if not, the justification for direct award; and if he will make available the documentation supporting t…

711. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the audience reach figures for a podcast episode (details supplied) funded by the Irish Prison Service, including total downloads, listener demographics, geographic distribution, and average listening duration, as reported back to the service. [51787/25]

712. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications received for the 2025 prison officer recruitment campaign; the number of applicants who referenced a podcast episode (details supplied) when applying; and the number of candidates subsequently hired who referenced the podcast as their point of engagement with the Irish Prison Service. [517…

713. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the cost per applicant and cost per recruit arising from the Irish Prison Service’s podcast sponsorship with (details supplied); and the way in which the figures compare with the cost per applicant and recruit generated through other channels such as digital advertising, radio, or print media. [51789/25]

714. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the oversight and editorial approval process used in relation to the content of a sponsored podcast (details supplied); the number of edits requested by the Irish Prison Service; and the official or officials who signed off on the final broadcast version. [51790/25]

715. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a post-campaign evaluation or audit of the Irish Prison Service’s podcast sponsorship was undertaken; if so, to provide the evaluation or audit report; and whether the campaign was assessed as achieving value for money. [51791/25]

716. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the Irish Prison Service intends to undertake further sponsored podcast partnerships or similar promotional arrangements in 2026 and beyond; and if so, the mechanisms which will be put in place to guarantee value for money and accountability in such spending. [51792/25]

717. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the provision of additional prison places in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51797/25]

724. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration following a ruling from the Civil Service Arbitration Board in May 2025 (details supplied); if he intends to adjust salaries of prison chaplains; if adjustments will be backdated to July 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51959/25]

314. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners in the general population in prisons diagnosed with psychosis; if the prisoners are receiving the appropriate treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50889/25]

315. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners waiting for a court date to determine their fitness for trial under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50890/25]

316. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners transferred to a facility (details supplied) for mental health supports in the past two years; the reason they did not received treatment from the Central Mental Hospital; the cost of treatment in the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50891/25]

122. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the status of the independent external review of the chaplaincy service within the Irish Prison Service; the timeframe for the implementation of the review's recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50720/25]

34. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she is taking to address the increased challenges for staff of Oberstown youth detention centre in County Dublin to ensure the safety of those detained there and the staff working there; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35136/25]

441. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the rationale for changing the kennelling requirement for prison service dogs to home-kennelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49712/25]