Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 57: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether prisoners who are on methadone maintenance programmes before they start their prison sentence are adequately catered for in prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7696/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Irish Prison Service Drugs Policy & Strategy — Keeping Drugs Out of Prisons — will see existing drug treatment programmes, including the provision of methadone maintenance programmes where this is clinically indicated, being expanded and enhanced. This expansion will involve the allocation of a range of dedicated staff, including addiction counsellors, to support these various programmes. In 2007 it is envisaged that an extra €2,000,000 will be allocated to support these developments.

Those who have begun to tackle addiction prior to imprisonment will continue to receive support during their time in prison. For those who enter prison with addiction problems, the time spent in prison is an opportunity to deal decisively with both their addiction and offending behaviour. For a number of years it has been Irish Prison Service Healthcare policy, in consultation and liaison with community treatment agencies, that people entering prison on a recognised methadone maintenance programme, should continue on such treatment while remaining in prison, as long as this remains a clinically indicated course. As outlined above the policy currently being rolled out envisages further development in the range of therapeutic avenues available to prisoners to address their substance misuse. Specific developments include:

A tender for 24 Addiction Counsellors to cover all Prisons has been awarded to Merchants Quay Ireland and Counsellors are already coming on stream. This will, in conjunction with other developments, lead to an increase of nearly 1000 hours per week of prisoner access to addiction counselling.

7 Nurse Officers and 5 Prison Officers have been allocated to Dedicated Drug Treatment Teams in prisons with significant needs; this will improve service quality in prisons which receive a large number of prisoner committals with addictions.

The Dormant Accounts Fund has provided funding for 4 community groups to provide addiction counselling and support to prisoners while in prison and on release in the community, this will build on their success in becoming drug free in prison when the prisoner returns to the community.

Additional Consultant in Addiction and Registrars Prisons Sessions have been established and resourced, significantly improving the quality, coordination and availability of drug treatment in prisons.

A Consultant led Infectious Disease Service has been contracted from St James' Hospital to provide treatments to prisoners who suffer from these disease. It is hoped to expand this service to other sites, and a

Tender for Dedicated Drug Treatment Pharmacy Services will issue this month, again supporting improved quality and availability of treatment services.

The policy envisages a multifaceted approach towards tackling the problems associated with substance misuse in the prison environment. There is particular focus on the need to assist prisoners who indicate a serious desire to tackle their drug problem and the policy states that appropriate treatment for substance misuse related problems should be available regardless of where a prisoner is located.

I have obtained significant extra resources to facilitate this and the policy is in the process of being rolled out on a phased basis. While it is intended that any treatment which is clinically indicated as being appropriate and necessary should be available to prisoners this provision will require the coordinated input and co-operation of various agencies, both internal and external. In particular it will require the co-operation of relevant community agencies to ensure the continuity of such treatment on release.