Fourteen inmates at Castlerea Prison in Co Roscommon are to follow a new cookery programme taught by experts from Athlone Institute of Technology, it was announced yesterday.
Prof Ciarán Ó Catháin, director of Athlone IT, said the three-year apprenticeship would be a "course built around three core areas of study - culinary arts, scientific principles and introduction to business studies".
He added: "Training will involve seven contact hours a day over a 35-week period for three years and will be delivered in the prison by Athlone IT lecturers. Students will be required to consolidate their academic learning and to provide evidence of this through the completion of a course logbook."
He said credit must be given to Brian Ó Ruairc, culinary arts lecturer, and John O'Hara, head of department of hospitality, tourism and leisure studies, "for their commitment".