Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extent to which criminals continue to operate their crime syndicates from prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7068/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions No. 151 and No. 205 of 7 November, 2006 and Question No. 262 of 3 October, 2006 in which I indicated that I was aware of reports which suggest that prisoners are attempting criminal activities from inside prison cells. I want to re-iterate that I am committed to implementing all appropriate measures to prevent the possibility of such activity and to ensure that the contact that prisoners have with the outside world is tightly controlled and monitored in an appropriate way.

In this regard, prisoner visits in all closed prisons are carefully controlled and held in sight of prison officers and monitored on CCTV. In addition, new visiting arrangements are in place in almost all closed prisons whereby only persons who have been pre-approved by the Governor are permitted to visit. Telephone calls in closed prisons are monitored by prison officers and incoming and outgoing mail is subject to examination by a prison censor. There is regular contact between the Prison Service and An Garda Síochána to discuss security issues and I can advise the Deputy that Gardaí will be contacted whenever any suspected criminal offence has taken place.

One of the major challenges in prisons today lies in preventing access to contraband items, primarily mobile phones and drugs, which for obvious reasons, are viewed as highly valuable commodities which could assist in illegal activity from the prisoner cells. Efforts are made on a continuous basis to prevent the flow of such contraband into our prisons, by for example, the installation of nets over exercise yards, vigilant observation of prisoners by staff, upgraded CCTV monitoring, the use of screened visits and the use of daily prisoner and cell searches. In addition, the Irish Prison Service is currently examining technological options for dealing with the use of mobile phones within prisons.

Random searches of cells and their occupants and searching of correspondence and all other items entering the prison have all intercepted significant quantities of contraband in recent years. When a person is admitted to prison custody, he or she is searched and prohibited items and money are taken. Similarly, searching takes place of prisoners returning from court, temporary release or after visits. Searches of prisoners also take place where their behaviour or information received raises suspicions that they may be in possession of contraband. The Prison Service has recently conducted a number of trial tests on modern cameras and probe systems which assist in searching previously difficult areas such as hollow chair or bed legs, U-bends in toilets, drain holes, under floor boards and other cavities. Initial tests would appear to indicate that these new technologies will be a valuable asset in this area. The new prison estates at Thornton Hall and Munster will also make it harder for contraband to enter the prison over the perimeter walls by means of locating recreation yards away from perimeter walls and thus ensuring a cordon sanitaire.