Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 467: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to extend measures to make prisons drug free. [19292/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to ensuring that all prisons are drug free in line with the commitments contained both in the Programme for Government and the Irish Prison Service Drugs Policy and Strategy and I will continue to pursue strategies to achieve that objective. The Irish Prison Service Drugs Policy and Strategy, entitled Keeping Drugs out of Prison was launched in May 2006 and the Irish Prison Service continues to take firm steps to eliminate the supply of drugs into prisons as well as enhancing the range of treatment options for those who are already addicted to drugs.

With regard to supply elimination, the implementation of the Policy and Strategy has seen an intensification of efforts to eliminate the availability of illicit drugs within prisons, including:

Tighter control and monitoring of prisoner visits in all closed prisons;

New visiting arrangements in most closed prisons, with visitors required to be pre-approved by the Governor and required to provide identification on each visit;

Greater use of screened visits;

Greater vigilance in examining mail by prison censors and searching of other items entering the prison;

Increased random searching of cells and their occupants;

Stricter searching of all persons committed to custody and prisoners returning from court, temporary release, after visits or on receipt of intelligence;

Use of modern cameras and probe systems which assist in searching previously difficult areas such as hollow chair or bed legs, under floor boards and other cavities; and the

Installation of nets over exercise yards to prevent access to contraband items, including mobile phones and drugs.

As regards enhanced security, the Deputy will also be aware that in 2007 my predecessor secured sanction for an additional 155 staff to implement a range of security measures, coordinated nationally by a dedicated Governor, aimed at keeping contraband out of our prisons. These measures include:

the establishment of a drug detection dog service within the Irish Prison Service;

the establishment of Operational Support Units in each prison dedicated to, and developing expertise in, searching and gathering intelligence; and

the introduction of enhanced security screening and searching of all persons (visitors and staff) entering our prisons.

With regard to demand elimination and treatment for prisoners with drug problems, the policy and strategy provides for a comprehensive range of treatment options. Drug rehabilitation programmes for prisoners involve a significant multidimensional input by a diverse range of general and specialist services provided both by the Irish Prison Service and visiting statutory and non-statutory organisations. The programmes seek to reduce the demand for drugs within the prison system through education, treatment and rehabilitation services for drug-addicted prisoners. Particular initiatives include, inter alia, the provision of detoxification, methadone maintenance, education programmes, addiction counselling and drug therapy programmes.

The strategy sees existing drug treatment programmes being expanded and enhanced with the further recruitment of nurses, psychologist and 24 dedicated addiction counsellors, as well as other staff including prison officers. The expansion of these services is being achieved in partnership with community based services and will see a significant improvement in the range, quality and availability of drug treatment services in the prisons.

The Prison Rules 2007, which took effect from 1 October 2007, include specific provision for mandatory drug testing. Mandatory drug testing provides information on trends in drug misuse, enables the identification and referral of drug abusers to treatment programmes, enables enhanced focusing of resources and acts as a deterrent to drug misuse. Mandatory drug testing will also serve to provide important information to prison management that will contribute significantly to decision-making in relation to the management of individual prisoners' sentences. Mandatory drug testing is currently in use in the Training Unit, St. Patrick's Institution, Castlerea Prison, Loughan House and Shelton Abbey. All prisoners must be drug free to attend an open centre and the intention is to roll out a programme of testing to the remaining institutions during 2008.

For those prisoners who have given up drugs, and those who do not misuse drugs, the policy provides for the establishment of Voluntary Drug Testing Units within each closed prison. This allows prisoners to reside in an environment that has enhanced supports to maintain their drug free status. For many offenders, prison provides the first opportunity to escape from the cycle of drug abuse. Drugs awareness courses and other interventions to highlight the detrimental effects of drug use and encourage prisoners to adopt or maintain a drug free lifestyle are also provided.