Mr. Aaron O'Connell:

I think the HSE has a big role to play. Based on my experience in Cork, HSE addiction services are doing quite a lot of work around that. They are looking at the dual diagnosis options as well. More of that must find its way into prisons. In respect of services and supports for prisoners, particularly intravenous drug users, we need general practitioners, GPs, who are level 2 methadone prescribers. There needs to be more of that. GPs working to those levels need to become the norm in the system and also in respect of when people are released into the community. We need to normalise what is on offer to people in terms of supports, particularly around drug use. There is some in-reach into the prisons by different services. The housing officer is supported by the HSE local drugs task force in Cork Prison. That is part of an innovative programme but it needs to link up with all the other programmes as well. It is a good start but there are developments to be made in terms of what is on offer within the prison. When we talk about prison reform, there is a drug-free option in Mountjoy Prison but we also need to look at how we can support people to engage in activities that will allow them to deal not just with the issues they have in terms of soft interventions around addiction counselling and other types of counselling but also the practical activities they can do to allow them to build skills within the prison so they are actually preparing for release from the day they go in. Those supports - education, training and skill building - can be picked up when they leave prison to give them that opportunity to find a pathway back that will sustain them in the long term. Housing is one of the key ways to do that, as is working somebody back into employment because when somebody is in the community, sustainability is really about income. Income sustainability gives people a sense of confidence and self-esteem. They are the building blocks in terms of dealing with all the issues around addiction and homelessness.