Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the disclosure contained in the annual report of the Inspector of Prisons that almost half of inmates in a single prison (details supplied) tested positive for illicit drugs; the steps being taken to stem the flow of drugs into prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31144/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A significant number of prisoners go to Loughan House on the first day of their sentence or soon after being admitted into the prison system. Accordingly, testing positive for drugs on arrival in Loughan is not an indication that a prisoner has consumed drugs while in the prison.

It is acknowledged that drugs present a major challenge to the Irish Prison Service and in this context, the Irish Prison Service Drugs Policy & Strategy, entitled Keeping Drugs out of Prison was launched in May 2006. The implementation of this Policy & Strategy has seen an intensification of efforts in the prison system 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;

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

Use of phone detectors and phased installation of telephone blocking technology.

In addition, a number of new security initiatives have been introduced in all closed prisons including:

The introduction of enhanced security screening for all persons (visitors and staff) entering our prisons;

The establishment of a drug detection dog service within the Irish Prison Service involving approximately 30 handling teams;

The establishment of Operational Support Units dedicated to and developing expertise in searching and gathering intelligence on illicit material being hidden inside our prisons; they will be available in addition to the normal prison staff and can target specific security problem areas;

The Body Orifice Security Scanner (BOSS) chair was introduced by the Irish Prison Service in early 2008 and to date eight chairs have been installed.

The new security screening at prison entrances and the measures introduced have had considerable success in preventing the flow of and assisting in the capture of contraband such as illicit drugs.

As the Inspector of Prison states in his recently published 2008 Annual Report, the new security measures have significantly impacted upon the availability of drugs in prison. However, the reality is that as long as there is drug misuse in the community this will be inevitably reflected in a prison setting. That said, the Irish Prison Service continues to work to implement its Drugs Policy and Strategy, which also includes continued investment in services within prisons to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in the prisoner population as well as meeting prisoners' treatment and rehabilitative needs.