Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way in which the Government will know whether it has been successful in making the prisons drug free when his office admits that it is difficult to quantify the precise level of illegal drugs consumed by prisoners or the numbers of prisoners actually abusing drugs, in view of the covert nature of illicit drug taking while in a custodial setting. [22435/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As I have repeatedly stated, no level of illegal drug consumption in a prison setting is acceptable to me or to the prison authorities. It is my intention and that of the Irish Prison Service to take all necessary measures to eliminate drug misuse among prisoners. There are currently a range of measures employed in the Irish Prison Service with the aim of eliminating both the supply of and the demand for drugs within the prison system. These measures continue to be updated and reinforced and the new Drugs Policy and Strategy for the Prison Service, again outlines my personal commitment to tackling this problem.

The absence to date of mandatory drug testing has made it impossible to accurately quantify the measure of drug misuse within our prison system. This new initiative will, for the first time, provide empirical evidence as to the extent of the problem and also provide information on trends in drug misuse. In addition, it will enable the identification and referral of drug abusers to treatment programmes, enable enhanced focusing of resources and act as a deterrent to drug misuse.

Measures to curtail the supply of drugs into prisons, include video surveillance, improved visiting/searching facilities and increased vigilance by staff. Netting has been installed over the recreation yards in a number of our closed prisons, to prevent contraband material, such as drugs, being propelled over exterior walls. Future prison designs will seek to locate recreation yards away from perimeter walls as part of further efforts to frustrate the supply of illegal drugs.

Measures to reduce the demand for drugs within the prison system include education, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicted offenders. These programmes and interventions are delivered on an individual and coordinated basis by the Psychology Service, Probation and Welfare Service, Prison Education Service and prison officers. Particular initiatives put in place include Drug Free Areas, Drug Misuse Awareness Programmes, Support Programmes and appropriate health interventions, Substitution Therapies, Vaccination Programmes and treatment for viral illnesses.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will explain what the Irish Prison Service has learned from the Scottish Prison Service's decision to end mandatory drug testing after ten years due to the fact that it was not achieving the desired results in view of his office indicating that the Irish Prison Service are always conscious of the potential to learn from improvements in other countries with regard to drug treatment, particularly with regard to technological developments. [22436/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The new Irish Prison Service Policy and Strategy, entitled Keeping Drugs out of Prisons fulfils the commitment in the Programme for Government to publish a plan to end all heroin use in Irish prisons as well as my own commitment to achieving a drug-free prison system. The new Policy and Strategy provides, for the first time, a coordinated and consistent national approach to eliminating the supply of drugs into prison as well as ensuring that appropriate treatment is available to prisoners to help them conquer their addiction.

The implementation of the new Policy and Strategy will see an intensification of efforts in the prison system to eliminate the availability of illicit drugs within prisons. This will involve the traditional means of effecting supply reduction — staff vigilance, physical searches and supervision of persons entering prisons — continuing to be reinforced by means of improved facilities and procedures. The Policy and Strategy also provides for a range of new measures to eliminate the supply of drugs into prisons, including enhanced visit security, the introduction of drug detection dogs and mandatory drug testing.

My Department is always cognisant of improvements in other countries with regard to drug treatment, particularly with regard to technological developments. To this end, the Irish Prison Service remains in regular contact with other jurisdictions, including the Scottish Prison Service, and it is my understanding the practice of mandatory drug testing has not been discontinued in that Prison Service. Mandatory drug testing is still conducted on a quarterly basis in order to aid management of the prison population. Prisoners, in order to progress through the system to a more enhanced regime setting, must undertake a Mandatory Drug Test.

I am satisfied that mandatory drug testing can play an important role in the overall strategy for tackling the scourge of drug use among prisoners in Irish prisons. Mandatory drug testing will provide information on trends in drug misuse, enable the identification and referral of drug abusers to treatment programmes, enable enhanced focusing of resources and act as a deterrent to drug misuse. Mandatory drug testing will also provide important information to prison management that will contribute significantly to decision-making in relation to the management of individual prisoners sentences. The introduction of mandatory drug testing will allow the Irish Prison Service to deploy its resources in the most rational and productive manner.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the guidelines in relation to mandatory drug testing in prisons have been drawn up; and if he will outline same. [22464/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service is currently drafting a document which will provide detailed instruction and guidance on the implementation of Mandatory Drug Testing.