Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

My experience of the prisons I have visited is that stringent security arrangements are deployed to prevent drug smuggling. The body orifice security scanning chair and other scanning devices are extremely sensitive to drugs and mobile telephones. The Deputy probably visited the newer parts of Midlands Prisons but significant investments have also been made on improving security in older wings. However, it is a constant battle because people are devising ever more ingenious methods for smuggling contraband into prisons. Despite what the Deputy may have read, most of recent disturbances in our prisons were caused by the more stringent regime that has been introduced.

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