Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of mobile phones that were confiscated from the prison population for each of the past five years and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38267/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that the number of mobile phones confiscated in Irish Prisons for the past five years and to date in 2016 is set out in the following table.

**2016 figures are up to 23/10/2016

I wish to advise the Deputy that possession of a mobile phone in prison is a criminal offence under section 36 of the Prisons Act, 2007. A prisoner found to be in possession of a mobile phone is liable to be dealt with under the prison disciplinary system and the matter referred to an Garda Síochána for investigation and possible prosecution.

Through a vigorous approach to screening and searching, the Operational Support Group continues to recover numerous mobile phones and components.

The measures currently in place to prevent the use of mobile phones by prisoners include metal detectors and other screening equipment at the point of entry to prisons, the use of active canine detection teams in recovering same from vehicles and buildings, as well as random and intelligence led targeted searching of prisoners and locations within the prison Estate.

These searches have been particularly effective and local intelligence indicates that the availability of mobile phones has decreased across the prison system. The number of mobile phones seized in prisons has reduced, year on year, since 2011, and the Deputy can be assured that the prevention of the smuggling of phones and other contraband remains a priority for the Irish Prison Service.