Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

846. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average wait time for prisoners to see an addiction counsellor, by institution, within the Irish Prison Service system; the average prison time served, by institution; and the number of prisoners, by institution, who will see an addiction counsellor prior to their release. [48361/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Irish Prison Service provides a health care service for prisoners with addictions in a structured, safe and professional way in line with international best practice. The Irish Prison Service continues to be committed to, and involved with, the National Drugs Strategy in partnership with community colleagues and organisations.

It is the policy of the Irish Prison Service that, where a person committed to prison gives a history of opiate use and tests positive for opioids, they are offered a medically assisted, symptomatic detoxification, if clinically indicated.

Patients can, as part of the assessment process, discuss other treatment options with healthcare staff and those treatment options may include stabilisation on methadone maintenance for those who wish to continue on maintenance while in prison, and when they return to the community on release.

The Irish Prison Service also engages Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to provide a prison-based addiction counselling service across the entire Irish Prison Service estate (with the exception of Arbour Hill Prison where there is currently no clinical need for such a service, though this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis). The addiction counselling service includes structured assessments and evidence-based counselling interventions, with clearly-defined treatment plans and goals.

The MQI service provides a range of counselling and intervention skills related to substance misuse and dependency. These skills include motivational interviewing and enhancement therapy, a twelve step facilitation programme, cognitive behavioural therapy and harm reduction approaches. Prisoners are offered one to one counselling and group work interventions.

The Irish Prison Service and MQI prioritise those that are in greatest clinical need, and work together as part of a multi-disciplinary team to manage the waiting list. MQI team leaders review caseloads with each addiction counsellor monthly to ensure that cases are closing appropriately.

In the larger prisons the average waiting period can be up to twelve weeks, sometimes longer. If there are concerns raised following a medical assessment, a prisoner will be prioritised. In addition, where waiting lists are high, MQI can offer group counselling as an alternative to one-to-one sessions to give access to as many people as possible.

There are many local variables unique to each prison which can influence how long a prisoner could remain on the waiting list to see an addiction counsellor. These factors include access to the prisoner, if they are on remand, their expected date of release, where in the prison they reside (e.g. are they on protection or non-protection), and the prisoners individual work schedule.

To manage these unique prison by prison variables, MQI are working on bespoke options. For example, in Cloverhill Prison, MQI in conjunction with the IPS, are preparing to pilot a new triage model. This triage model aims to direct the prisoner, following assessment, to the most appropriate follow up e.g. one-to-one on site counselling, one-to-one counselling utilising online systems, or onsite group support. This will be implemented before the end of this year, and will run for an initial six-month period, followed by an evaluation. MQI also provides a full time phone line in the prison estate to provide more immediate support and reduce pressure on waiting lists.

The data requested by the Deputy relating to the number of prisoners, by institution, who will see an addiction counsellor prior to their release is not collated. Prisoners who are closer to release are regularly prioritised and MQI aim to identify available services in the community to ensure there is continuity of care and that a release plan and harm reduction information can be imparted prior to departure.

It will also be of interest to the Deputy to know that the Prison Service is currently working to publish a new “Drug Strategy 2023 – 2026” by the end of 2023. This strategy will re-affirm the commitment to working steadfastly to reduce the harm of drug use within the prison population. This strategy will set out practical goals to increase support for security measures to prevent access, education and information programmes to deter trafficking, and promote drug treatment and counselling services in collaboration with government and non-government partners to help tackle the insidious threat posed by illegal drug use and trafficking.

In addition, the Irish Prison Service is developing a bespoke, peer-led recovery model to support people in custody who face addiction difficulties. Part of this peer led recovery model will provide for co-occurring difficulties associated with mental health and addiction.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

847. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drug seizures in the past five years, by institution, within the Irish Prison Service system; the total value, by institution, by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48362/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can advise the Deputy that preventing the incursion of contraband items into prisons remains a major challenge. Irish Prison Service staff work tirelessly to take steps to reduce the flow of illicit substances into our prisons. Security measures to deter the introduction of dangerous contraband into prisons include: the installation of nets over exercise yards, vigilant observation of prisoners by staff, enhanced CCTV monitoring, strict control of visits, drug-swabbing equipment similar to airport-style explosives swabbing devices, random and targeted searches and joint operations with An Garda Síochána.

The Irish Prison Service continues to research and develop opportunities to install new security equipment and new security measures. Intelligence-led searching and detection practice means that a significant amount of drugs are detected and intercepted before reaching the prison population.

It must be recognised that the prison environment mirrors the same range of activity and challenges arising in many communities grappling with the scourge of harmful drug use. In order to meaningfully tackle the issue of drug-use and demand in prisons, the Irish Prison Service must work in partnership with all agencies across the criminal justice sector, additional support agencies active in Irish prisons, and relevant community-based organisations to reduce the demand. The Irish Prison Service aims to publish a new Drug Strategy by the end of 2023 setting out a series of goals to advance work towards reducing the harm of substances of abuse in the prison environment.

The Irish Prison Service seeks to confront the issue of drugs in prisons with the following interactive components to its approach:

I am further advised that the Irish Prison Service does not collate statistics on the value of drug finds, as the Irish Prison Service does not have the facility to test for quantity or substance type, and any suspected drug seizure is passed to An Garda Síochána for examination.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

848. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff, by institution, who have been suspended pending investigation for bringing illegal substances into the prison system in the past five years. [48363/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can advise the Deputy that preventing the incursion of contraband items into prisons remains a major challenge. Irish Prison Service staff work tirelessly to take steps to reduce the flow of substances of abuse into our prisons. Security measures to deter the obtrusion of dangerous contraband into prisons include: the installation of nets over exercise yards, vigilant observation of prisoners by staff, enhanced CCTV monitoring, strict control of visits, drug-swabbing equipment similar to airport-style explosives swabbing devices, random and targeted searches and joint operations with An Garda Síochána.

As part of this all visitors and prison staff are searched when entering a prison.

Further, the Irish Prison Service continues to research and develop opportunities to install new security equipment and new security measures. Intelligence-led searching and detection practice means that a significant number of drugs are detected and intercepted before reaching the prison population.

It must be recognised that the prison environment mirrors the same range of activity and challenges arising in many communities grappling with the scourge of harmful drug use. In order to meaningfully tackle the issue of drug-use and demand in prisons, the Irish Prison Service must work in partnership with all agencies across the criminal justice sector, additional support agencies active in Irish prisons, and relevant community-based organisations to reduce the demand. The Irish Prison Service aims to publish a new Drug Strategy by the end of 2023 setting out a series of goals to advance work towards reducing the harm of substances of abuse in the prison environment.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service sets high standards in respect of its staff and requires that all staff carry out their duties with integrity, commitment and professionalism at all times. In circumstances where the conduct of a staff member falls below the high standards expected, this is treated with the utmost seriousness in accordance with the Civil Service Code of Discipline. Allegations or claims of inappropriate behaviour by Prison Service staff are taken very seriously and are fully investigated. Any issues arising in respect of staff and their conduct in the Irish Prison Service are dealt with through the normal disciplinary process.

I have been advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that no staff have been suspended pending investigation for bringing illegal substances into the prison system in the last five years.