Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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319. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he has taken steps to protect the safety and wellbeing of a person and others (details supplied) in Portlaoise Prison; and if he has taken steps to stop the flow of drugs into the prison. [22312/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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While I cannot comment on individual cases, I will provide details of some of the measures the Government is taking to protect the safety and wellbeing of prison staff.

Any act of violence against prison staff is unacceptable. Any criminal act carried out within Irish prisons, including an assault on a staff member, is reported to An Garda Síochána for investigation and prosecution.

Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 specifically provides for assaults or threats to peace officers including prison officers acting in the execution of their duty. Any person who assaults or threatens to assault a peace officer in the execution of their duty is guilty of an offence. The Criminal Justices (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 increased the maximum sentence for assaulting or threatening to assault a peace office from 7 to 12 years.

On the 6th May 2025, I secured government approval for the General Scheme of the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025, which includes a provision amending the Firearms Act 1925 by removing the legal impediment to prison officers using incapacitant sprays in the course of their duties.

It is also vitally important that staff who are subject to act of violence or who witness incidents in our prisons are given the necessary support afterwards.

All staff have access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), with 3 full-time national Employee Assistance Officers. The EAP is supported at local prison level, by a network of almost fifty voluntary Staff Support Officers. This support network provides a confidential service offering information, advice and onward referrals on a wide range of personal and work-related issues. The Employee Assistance Programme plays a key role in supporting staff, particularly those who have been injured on duty.

The provision of an Independent Counselling Service for staff, which is provided by Inspire Workplaces, has been an important addition to the supports available to staff. This free counselling service is completely confidential and is designed to assist employees in resolving personal or work-related concerns. It is accessed through a freephone helpline, available 24 hours per day, with access to up to 6 counselling sessions for support covering a wide range of issues. I understand that there has been very positive feedback from staff of the Irish Prison service regarding this particular service.

I am aware that the flow of contraband is one of the most pressing issues affecting security and safety in our prisons. Preventing the access of contraband, including drugs, into prisons is a high priority for the Irish Prison Service, and the Service has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support efforts to keep contraband out of prisons.

An Garda Síochána also supports the Irish Prison Service with ongoing operations in each relevant Garda Division, including Operation Throwover, which is intended to disrupt, interdict and prosecute attempts to introduce contraband into prisons.

On the 28th of April, I was present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána. This Memorandum of Understanding has been developed to enable the two organisations to work in partnership to prioritise cooperation in tackling organised crime, drug dealing and contraband smuggling.

€5m has been allocated in the 2025 Capital budget for prison security. In 2024, enhanced measures were introduced in Portlaoise Prison as part of measures to counteract contraband and drone activity.

The Irish Prison Service has also commenced works on enhancing yard security through the installation of new netting capable of withstanding fire-bombing. This new netting has already been installed in one prison and is due to be rolled out to other locations in the short term.