Written answers

Tuesday, 11 December 2007

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Prison Discipline

9:00 pm

Photo of Lucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 899: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of prisoners in the prison system here who have been caught in the possession of mobile phones in the past five years; the number of prosecutions this resulted in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34081/07]

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The confiscation of mobile phones has until recent times been recorded by our prisons under the generic description of "prohibited articles". An accurate breakdown of statistics as requested by the Deputy is not therefore available without the manual examination of records going back over a considerable time period.

Section 36 of the Prisons Act 2007, which was brought into operation from 1 May, 2007 makes it an offence for prisoners to have unauthorised possession of or use mobile telecommunications devices. Under the Act it is also an offence to supply such a device to a prisoner. The penalty for such an offence, on summary conviction, is a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both, and on conviction on indictment, a fine not exceeding €10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or both.

It is Irish Prison Service policy to report seizures of mobile phones to the Garda authorities. It is important to note that prosecutions will not arise in respect of all instances of mobile phone seizure, owing to the number of mobile phones found in double cells, toilet areas or in the prison yards. It would be impossible to determine in such instances what prisoner was the owner or intended recipient of such devices.

Statistics in relation to the number of mobile phones seized during the course of 2007 to date are recorded in the table.

PrisonNumber of Mobile Phones Seized
Arbour Hill5
Training Unit49
Shelton Abbey25
Portlaoise60
Castlerea94
Midlands143
Cloverhill120
Limerick241
Mountjoy687
Dóchas67
St. Patrick's Institution132
Wheatfield188
Loughan House85
PSEC6
Cork108
Total2,010

There are thirty proceedings commenced recorded on PULSE relating to possession of a telecommunications device without the permission of the Governor of a prison, with twelve convictions recorded.

Photo of Lucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 900: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners in the prison system here who have been caught in the possession of drugs in the past five years; the number of prosecutions this resulted in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34082/07]

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The confiscation of drugs (or suspected drugs) is recorded by our prisons under the generic description of "prohibited articles/substances". An accurate breakdown of statistics as requested by the Deputy is not therefore available without the manual examination of records going back over a considerable time period. The Gardaí are contacted once suspected drug seizures are made. Issues of investigation and prosecution fall within the remit of the Garda authorities.

The table shows the number of proceedings commenced for possession or sale / supply of drugs offences for years 2002 to 2007 where the location of the offence has been recorded as a prison.

Proceedings commenced for possession or sale/supply of drugs offences in a prison for years 2002 to 2007
YearNumber of Proceedings Commenced
200231
200344
200444
200597
200667
200745*
*Please note that these figures are provisional and may be liable to change.

It would necessitate a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources to identify the number of persons who were prosecuted for these offences while prisoners in the prison system, as this information could only be ascertained from a manual trawl of station records.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.