Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners currently incarcerated; the number on short term, daily or other forms of release on a monthly basis throughout the past 12 months; the number on early release; the number of prisoners per cell throughout the prison service over the same period; the number of cells with an occupancy rate from one to the maximum over that period; the number of empty cells over the period; the full extent of drugs, weapons or other materials deemed a threat to the security system detected or seized within the prisons during this period; the action taken arising therefrom; when it is expected that normal occupancy and security will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19649/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the number of persons in custody on the 10 May 2010 was 4,214. As the Deputy is aware periods of temporary release granted can vary greatly from a few hours following a family bereavement to, for example, a requirement to report to the prison every 12 months in the case of a life sentence prisoner who has been released into the community a considerable time ago.

It is not possible to provide figures to the Deputy for all forms of temporary release for the period requested as this would require the manual examination of records. Such an examination would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort and could not be justified in current circumstances where there are other significant demands on resources. I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that the number of prisoners on temporary release on 10 May 2010 was 844. This represented approx 16.5% of the overall prisoner population for this day.

As I have previously stated to the house the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts and does not have the option of refusing committals. Their options are simple, they either hold them or release them. I believe the public interest must be protected from the inappropriate release of offenders who may pose a risk to the community. Accordingly the Irish Prison Service has been engaged in an extensive programme of investment in prisons infrastructure which has involved both the modernisation of the existing estate and the provision of extra prison spaces. Since 1997 in excess of 1,720 new prison spaces have come on stream in the prison system. These include the new prisons in Castlerea, the Midlands, Cloverhill, the Dóchas Centre and new accommodation in Limerick, Portlaoise and Castlerea prisons and at the open centres in Shelton Abbey and Loughan House.

Current projects will see a further 200 prison spaces provided in the short term by means of a new block in Wheatfield. In addition, we hope to proceed in late 2010 with a new accommodation block in the Portlaoise/Midlands prisons complex which will provide 300 prison spaces in the medium term. The Deputy will also be aware that I have reconfirmed the Government's commitment to developing a new prison campus at Thornton Hall, County Dublin. The breakdown of the available cell accommodation throughout the prison estate is listed in the table.

It should be noted that some prisons/place of detentions have dormitory style accommodation. In the case of Castlerea Prison, 55 prisoners are held in "The Grove" which is regarded as residential type accommodation. Currently the main spare capacity within the prison estate are on the subversive landings in Portlaoise Prison. For operational and security reasons "ordinary" prisoners cannot be accommodated on subversive landings.

The number of drug seizures for each prison for 2009 and to 2 May 2010 is set out in the table.

It is important to note that a large percentage of these seizures are not directly from prisoners but are instead retrieved at entry point or before they get to the prisoner population. This is as a direct consequence of the newly introduced security measures.

The Irish Prison Service continues to work to implement its Drug Policy & Strategy, entitled "Keeping Drugs Out of Prison", which was launched in May 2006. Working to fulfil the commitments contained in the Policy and Strategy involves the implementation of stringent measures to prevent drugs from getting into prisons while, at the same time, continuing to invest in services within prisons to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in the prisoner population as well as meeting prisoners treatment and rehabilitative needs.

Drug users present with multiple and complex problems. The evidence would indicate that a multidisciplinary approach is needed to effectively care for this group and that maintenance of a personalised therapeutic relationship yields the best outcomes. Prisoners have access to a range of medical and rehabilitative services such as psychosocial services and work and training options which assist in addressing their substance misuse issues. The Irish Prison Service has committed significant investment in recent years in responding to addiction issues in the prison system. The most significant new development was the awarding of a contract for addiction counselling services to Merchants Quay Ireland. The Addiction Counselling Service is, in conjunction with other developments, now delivering nearly 1000 hours per week of prisoner access to addiction counselling across the prison system.

The number of weapons seized by the prison and the Operational Support Group for the same period is set out in the table.

It is important to note that a large percentage of these seizures are not directly from prisoners but are instead retrieved at entry point or before they get to the prisoner population. This is as a direct consequence of the newly introduced security measures.

The mission of the Irish Prison Service is to provide safe, secure and humane custody for those placed into custody. This is one of the main reasons for the introduction of recent security initiatives, such as airport style security screening including x-ray machines and scanning equipment, the establishment of the Operational Support Group, the establishment of the Drug Detection Dog Service within the Irish Prison Service, the segregation of a number of serious drug and criminal gang members in a high security unit in Cloverhill Prison and the use of phone detectors and phased installation of telephone blocking technology.

No level of inter-prisoner violence is acceptable. Every effort is made by prison staff and management to limit the scope of acts of violence. While the prison regime is designed to limit the scope of acts of violence, it is not possible to completely eliminate the possibility of such acts in prisons holding a high proportion of violent offenders without introducing a regime that would be unacceptable. Recent statistics indicate that since the new security measures were implemented, there is a trend towards more homemade weapons being used, for example, weapons made out of perspex, sharpened toothbrushes, a pool ball in a sock, brush handles or water jugs.