Scientology call for prisoner literacy ‘daft’

A controversial call by the Church of Scientology that prisoners should not be released from prison until they can read and write was condemned by Fine Gael as “daft and appalling”.

The Church of Scientology, which some critics have claimed is a cult, was one of a number of organisations who addressed an Oireachtas committee yesterday on adult literacy in Ireland.

Scientologist Gerard Ryan told the Committee on Education that 92% of prisoners have left education before the age of 16.

“We should make it part of each prison sentence that each inmate must become demonstrably literate and numerate before they can leave prison,” he said.

Mr Ryan said prisoners could be allowed to leave prison once they learned to read and write, even if they had not completed their sentence.

David Stanton, Fine Gael’s spokesperson on social and family affairs condemned the submission. He asked incredulously if Mr Ryan was really serious about keeping prisoners incarcerated indefinitely if they were not able to read and wire.

“I think it’s an appalling suggestion,” he said.

He told Mr Ryan that would mean the prisoners would be faced with another punishment on top of the one already imposed by the courts.

The Church of Scientology, which is based on the teachings of L Ron Hubbard, is a controversial organisation that has been branded as a cult by many of its critics.

A number of Hollywood stars are members including Tom Cruise and John Travolta.