The Irish Prison Service is pleased and honoured to be associated with the Special Olympics 2003. About two years ago a meeting took place with the organisers of the Special Olympics movement in Ireland and Prison Governors and staff from Prison Service HQ.
Arising from that meeting the Prison Service agreed to manufacture a number of products for the Special Olympics in the prison workshops. These items included:
- podiums for medal presentation ceremonies;
- special equipment to stabilise wheelchairs in weightlifting competitions;
- 80,000 flags for the opening ceremony, 86,000 towels;
- welcome signs, scoreboards equestrian gates, benches, flag poles and crowd control barriers.
Four prisons were involved in this undertaking; Midlands Prison, Wheatfield Prison, Arbour Hill and Mountjoy Prison.
As well as enabling prisoners to maintain and develop vocational skills, this project has given them an opportunity to contribute to the national drive behind the Special Olympics 2003. It also enabled them to enhance the vocational skills taught to them in prison workshops.
The Irish Prison Service would like to acknowledge the work of its staff and prisoners in their contribution to the Special Olympics 2003. |
