Mr. Fergal Black:

As I said earlier, prison offers a unique opportunity for people to address addiction. We have the national drug treatment programme, which operates in the medical unit in Mountjoy. We commissioned a review last year and are building a full curriculum around that. We have organisations such as Coolmine Therapeutic Community, Ballymun Youth Action Program, YAP, the Ana Liffey Drug Project, Merchants Quay Ireland and the Harmony Programme operating that service on our behalf. There are 18 beds in that unit. When individuals come into prison who are using illicit substances, the first thing we do is try to get them to stop using those substances and get them stabilised on methadone. Then, when and if they are ready, we try to wean them off or detox them from methadone. If that proves possible, they can go on the drug treatment programme and get to a drug-free status. Beyond that, we need to provide appropriate locations so that they can maintain that drug-free status. In that context, we have more than 20 addiction counsellors from Merchants Quay Ireland who provide supports. We also have 140 nurses who operate 24/7 and doctors with expertise in addiction psychiatry. We have a range of services available, including educational services. All of those services are there to assist people, ultimately, to leave prison and live more purposeful lives.