Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Drugs in Prisons

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 564: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the sanctions imposed on prisoners who have had illegal drugs confiscated from them by the prison authorities. [1088/10]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The sanctions for breach of prison discipline are outlined in full in Section 13(1) of the Prisons Act, 2007, and can include one or more of the following: issuing the prisoner with a caution reprimanding the prisoner confinement in a cell for a period not exceeding 3 days prohibition of various privileges for a period not exceeding 60 days. This can include recreation, sending or receiving mail, receiving visits and making phone calls forfeiture of up to 14 days remission forfeiture of gratuity payments On a wider level the prisoner can of course face criminal charges arising from the possession of drugs and a consequent penalty such as a further term of imprisonment. Further operational decisions may also be made having regard to the offence such as the prisoner being placed on screened visits, the banning of visitors who attempted to pass contraband and / or the transfer of the prisoner to another institution. Persistent offenders can also be segregated from the general prison population.

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