Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 78: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the how he intends to ensure that our prison system becomes a drug-free system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13895/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Irish Prison Service has introduced a number of security initiatives which have significantly reduced the availability of contraband in the prisons. These initiatives include tighter control and monitoring of prison visits, airport style security screening of all staff and visitors coming into the prison, x-ray scanners to scan all coats and bags/briefcases, the establishment of the Canine Unit, increased random searches of prisoner accommodation and its' occupants and stricter searching of those committed to custody and of those returning to the prison after temporary release, court and after visits.

It is acknowledged that there is a high prevalence of drug use among prisoners. Dealing with this problem is, in my view, critical in terms of prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration. In this context, the Irish Prison Service continues to invest significant resources into dealing with the drugs problem, in terms of supply reduction, drug treatment, education and counselling. Drug rehabilitation programmes for prisoners involve a significant multidimensional input by a diverse range of general and specialist services provided both by the Prison Service and visiting statutory and non-statutory organisations. Prisoners who, on committal, are engaged in a methadone substitution programme in the community will, in the main, have their methadone substitution treatment continued while in custody. Methadone substitution treatment is available in 9 of the 14 prisons and places of detention (accommodating over 80% of the prison population).

While the two open centres, Loughan House and Shelton Abbey, and the Training Unit and Arbour Hill are drug free prisons, it is my intention to ensure that we will have drug free units in all our closed prisons. A new dedicated Drug Free Area will be operational in Mountjoy Prison by the end of this month. There are Drug Free Areas in both Wheatfield prison and St. Patrick's Institution. The Prison Service intends that by the end of 2012 all closed prisons will have dedicated Drug Free Areas which will cater for prisoners who are drug free, have illicit drug free status and/or are stable on methadone.

I wish to reassure the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service will continue to implement supply and reduction measures and work in collaboration with statutory stakeholders to enhance drug treatment services across the prison system.