Statement: Senator Bacik commends Samaritans' Listeners Programme in Prisons
18 July 2012
STATEMENT BY SENATORIVANA BACIK
Labour Party Seanad leader,spokesperson on Justice
Wednesday 18th July2012
SENATOR BACIK COMMENDS SAMARITANS ‘LISTENER' PROGRAMME IN PRISONS
Speaking today in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik commended the Samaritans for their excellent ‘Listener' programme,run within a number of Irish prisons. Under this programme, individual prisoners are trained by the Samaritans to offer peer support to otherprisoners.
Senator Bacik will say:
“I am delighted to have visited Wheatfield Prison yesterday as part of a delegation from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence, which had been invited in to attend the ceremony to mark the tenth anniversary of the Samaritans Prisoner Listener Service in the prison.In particular, our delegation was very impressed to hear directly from some of the prisoners who have been trained as Listeners to provide an important service for others within the prison.
“This service, which clearly has a strong role to play in the prevention of suicide and self-harm within prisons, can offer really tangible benefits for prisoners and staff alike.I believe that it should be rolled out across all prisons in the State.I would like to commend the Samaritans for taking this initiative within prisons, and offer my support for any further development of the Service.”
ENDS.