Ms Caron McCaffrey:

It is available in all prisons with the exception of our open centres. We do not have methadone maintenance in either Loughan House or Shelton Abbey. It available across the estate.

The reduction is actually related to a reduction within the community of those availing of that form of treatment. So, on any given day, we have approximately 530 prisoners on methadone stabilisation treatment within the Prison Service. We provided that service to almost 1,700 prisoners in 2017, which is 17% of the population who avail of methadone substitution treatment in Ireland. So a very significant contribution is made by the Irish Prison Service in providing drug treatment within the country.