Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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109. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners currently serving sentences for drug related offences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36064/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that on the 31 August 2014 there were 3,792 prisoners in custody across the prison system. Of this 530 or almost 14% were serving sentences for drugs related offences.

A full breakdown of the offences, taken from the most recent snapshot of the prison population conducted on 31st August 2014, is set out in the following table. The figures include the length of the sentence in each case.

In 2013 there were 846 committals to prison under sentence for controlled drug offences. This represented a decrease of 8% on the 2012 figure of 922.

Data from	3 to <6 Mths	6 to <12 Mths	1 to <2 Yrs	2 to <3 Yrs	3 to <5 Yrs	5 to <10 Yrs	10+ Yrs	Total
Allowing car to be used Section 19 misuse of Drugs Act					1			1
Allowing premises to be used			1	1				2
Cultivation of Cannabis Plants and Opium Poppy		2	3	2	21	5		33
Misuse of Drugs Act - printing etc					2			2
Possession for sale or supply drugs valued €13,000.00 or more				7	23	42	37	109
Possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply	1	13	30	44	83	98	37	306
Unlawful possession of Drug(s)		1	6	8	25	16	11	67
Unlawful supply/offer to supply controlled drug					1	1		2
Unlawfully importing or exporting controlled drugs			1	1		3		5
Unlawfully produce controlled drugs				1	1	1		3
Total	1	16	41	64	157	166	85	530

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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110. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners currently serving sentences arising from organised criminal gang activity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36065/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that it is not possible to give figures as to the number of prisoners currently serving sentences arising from organised criminal gang activity. Membership/allegiance to criminal gangs fluctuates on a continuous basis with some persons breaking links and others becoming affiliated.

The emergence in recent years of criminal gangs has had significant implications for the management of Irish prisons. Rivalries and feuds which develop on the outside continue inside of prison. Prison management must ensure that the various factions are kept apart and, as far as possible, that gang members do not have influence over other inmates in the prisons or criminal activities on the outside.

Gang members are managed on a daily basis through segregation and separation throughout the prison system. Membership/allegiance of these criminal gangs fluctuates on a continuous basis with some persons breaking links and others becoming affiliated.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a number of initiatives have been introduced with a view to preventing identified gang leaders from conducting criminal activities while in custody and also to prevent them exerting inappropriate influence over other persons. For example, the security initiatives undertaken by the Operational Security Group (OSG) have made it more difficult for prisoners to engage in illegal activities while in prison. These initiatives include the introduction of passive and active drug detection dogs and the installation of airport style security including scanners and x-ray machines. Core functions of this group include gathering and collating intelligence information on criminal gang members in custody , carrying out intelligence led searches and preventing the flow of contraband (including mobile phones) into the prisons.

In addition, there is regular contact between the Prison Service and An Garda Síochána to discuss security issues including the operation of criminal gangs. Gardaí are also provided with reports detailing the release dates of this category of prisoner.

Furthermore, the Risk Management of Offenders Group within the Irish Prison Service, which is comprised of Governors of all closed prisons and the Governor of the Operational Support Group, meet on a regular basis to share intelligence and decide in a strategic and collaborative fashion on the placement of leading gang members across the prison estate, having regard to the associated protection issues involved.

I have included below a table from the 31 August 2014 outlining the offence profile of all sentenced persons in custody on that date.

Offence Profile of sentenced prisoners

Offence	31/08
Homicide Offences	428
Sexual Offences	361
Attempts/Threat to Murder, Assaults and Related Offences	424
Dangerous or Negligent Acts	72
Kidnapping and Related Offences	49
Robbery, Extortion and Hijacking Offences	115
Burglary and Related Offences	293
Theft and Related Offences	584
Fraud, Deception and Related Offences	42
Controlled Drug Offences	530
Weapons and Explosives Offences	136
Damage to Property and to the Environment	69
Public Order and Other Social Code Offences	25
Road and Traffic Offences	27
Offences against Govt., Justice Procedures and Organised Crime	51
Offences Not Elsewhere Classified	13
Total	3,219