Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of counselling hours provided by prison in 2017 and 2024, respectively, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39413/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Irish Prison Service. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to provide the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deaths in Irish prisons in each of the past five years; the number of these found to be drug overdose at inquest or review; and the number where drugs was referenced in either report [39414/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that all deaths in custody are notified to An Garda Síochána, who investigate where circumstances warrant, in addition to the inquest held in the Coroner's Court. The cause of death is determined by a jury on the basis of the information presented to the Coroner's Court.

All deaths in custody, and deaths that occur within one month of temporary release, are also subject to an independent investigation by the Inspector of Prisons.

The Irish Prison Service is not advised by the Coroner whether the death was attributable to a drug overdose and the table below classifies the causes of death as determined by the coroner, where applicable. It also gives the number of people who died while in Prison in each of the last five years and to date in 2024.

Table: Deaths in Custody 2019 to 30 September 2024 inclusive classified by cause of death as determined by Coroner:

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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168. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of wings for people in recovery in each prison; and whether these wings are maintained given prison overcrowding, in tabular form. [39415/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service offers multidimensional drug rehabilitation programmes for people in custody with access to a range of medical and rehabilitative services, such as methadone substation treatment, psycho social services, and ‘work and training’ options which assist in addressing their substance misuse.

The Irish Prison Service Drugs Strategy 2023-2026 aims at reducing the harm caused by substance abuse within the prison environment by building upon the commitments of the Irish Prison Service, Keeping Drugs Out of Prison Strategy, the new drugs strategy provides practical measures to be implemented by the Irish Prison Service in addressing the issue of illicit drug use over the next three years.

Any person entering prison giving a history of opiate use and testing positive for opioids is offered a medically assisted symptomatic detoxification, if clinically indicated. Patients can discuss other treatment options with healthcare staff. These 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. People who, on committal to prison, are engaged in a methadone substitution programme in the community will, in the main, have their methadone substitution treatment continued while in prison. Methadone substitution treatment is available in 9 of the 13 prisons which accommodate over 80% of the prison population.

There are currently no formal recovery wings across the Irish Prison Service Estate, however there are a number of units which serve to support people identified as having a major mental illness, including D2 in Cloverhill Prison and two units within the Medical Unit in Mountjoy Prison. In recent years significant progress has been made to improve both accommodation and regime on these wings in both prisons.

I can further advise the Deputy that in relation to addiction recovery, there are four units within the Medical Unit in Mountjoy Prison, which are designated drug free landings and support the Treatment and Rehabilitation Programme (TARP) currently run by Merchants Quay Ireland.

Treatment and Rehabilitation is a bespoke programme which was developed in 2022 by Merchants Quay Ireland in partnership with the Irish Prison Service to support those who had become drug free in prison to continue their recovery and to support them to continue to lead a drug free life both whilst in prison, and post release. The programme runs over a seven week cycle, six weeks of group work and one week for orientation in the unit. Seven courses are held each calendar year accommodating up to 63 prisoners in total. TARP is currently being reviewed to support ongoing developments in relation to addiction support.