Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has consulted with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in relation to changes in prison drugs policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36860/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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An Agreed Programme for Government contains a commitment to introducing mandatory drug testing for prisoners, where necessary, and to make treatment and rehabilitation available for those prisoners who need it. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, is currently working towards this objective. I can assure the Deputy that, in this context, there is regular and ongoing contact between my Department and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Irish Prison Service.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is represented on the National Drugs Strategy Team, NDST, where drugs issues of a cross-sectoral nature are regularly discussed, including the issue of drug use in prisons. In addition, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Irish Prison Service are represented on the Inter-Departmental Group on Drugs, IDG, which I chair. In this regard, Irish prison drugs policy is intended to be the substantive item for discussion on the agenda of the next IDG in December, when a presentation on current and prospective developments will be made by a representative of the Irish Prison Service.

Tackling the problem of drug misuse involves a range of Departments and agencies and the Government remains strongly committed to this multi-agency approach.