Prisoners in the Midlands Prison in Laois to be trained in retrofitting homes

Prisoners in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise are to be trained in retrofitting homes under a new pilot scheme. 

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris  and the Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne jointly announced that prisoners close to release are to undergo training programmes in retrofitting ahead of completing their sentence.

The programme - the Retrofit Skills Course QQI Level 5 component award – will be made available in Midlands and Wheatfield prisons and will give the individual the skillset to gain well-paid meaningful employment in the area of retrofitting.

Laois Offaly Education and Training Board’s National Construction Centre, Mount Lucas has worked closely with the Irish Prison Service over this past year to make this course available. The first of these pilot programmes will start today in Midlands Prison.

“We know we need to do more to improve education and upskilling opportunities for people in custody to support their rehabilitation and employment post-release. This is the aim of the Prison Education Taskforce, Chaired by myself and Minister Browne,” said Minister Harris. 

“This programme will be offered to those who are close to release – and will equip them with the training and skills they need to become active participants in the jobs market. Midlands Prison will commence with its first training group today.

“These courses will give them the skills they need to get sustainable jobs on release, while also creating skilled workers to help deliver on our targets under Housing for All,” he said. 

Minister Browne said "education and training allow people to see alternative choices, a different future and to move away from criminality.

"We can’t underestimate the importance of taking an employment focused view of education in our prisons. Retrofitting is a service that is in big demand in Ireland at the moment so I am very pleased that Minster Harris and I have been able to secure this important new training programme.

"This qualification will have a positive impact on the individual themselves and their families by supporting people accessing gainful employment. The programme will also be of big benefit to communities by increasing the availability of retrofitting professionals to help homeowners safeguard against the cost of living and help the environment by improving energy efficiency in their homes," said Minister Browne. 

This is an initiative of the Prison Education Taskforce, which aims to ensure greater alignment between prison education and the tertiary education system to support prisoners in benefitting from education and training opportunities while in custody to support their rehabilitation and access to employment post-release.

The taskforce is chaired by Minister Harris and Minister Browne and comprises of key agencies such as the Irish Prison Service, SOLAS, the Probation Service, the Education and Training Boards.

This year, the taskforce will also be working to progress the roll-out of pilot apprenticeships in prison. The Commis-Chef Apprenticeship and the Painting and Decorating Apprenticeship will be the first apprenticeships to be piloted in prisons.

The NALA Peer to Peer Programme.is already being run in seven prisons with keen interest to further roll it out due to the positive impact on the learner. This assists prisoners with reading and writing.