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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 4

Written Answers. - Prison Drugs Misuse.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

423 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, she will take to deal with the escalating drugs crisis in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin 7; her views on whether the Eastern Health Board, which is the agency with statutory responsibility for providing drug treatment services, is the most appropriate agency to provide services in prisons; the timescale for implementing her proposals for dealing with this urgent matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1231/97]

There is undoubtedly a problem of drugs misuse in Mountjoy Prison. I can assure the House that in my time as Minister real progress has been made tackling this problem in our prisons. There are now a number of wide-ranging and complementary initiatives in place. The problem of drugs in the prisons is, just as in the wider community, a complex one. The notion that in our prisons it can be solved overnight by means of any single strategy is not a well thought out one. I can assure the Deputy that every means of preventing access to drugs by prisoners is fully explored and, if feasible, implemented.

In examining this aspect of the problem, particularly in Mountjoy Prison, it was apparent to me that visits were one of the main avenues utilised by persons attempting to pass illegal drugs to prisoners. I immediately approved a number of preventative and detection measures concentrated on the main visiting area in the prison and these have now been in place some time. I am pleased to be able to report that these measures have proved particularly effective in preventing the smuggling of drugs and drug paraphernalia to prisoners.

The most effective strategy for tackling this problem, of course, is prevention through education and the rehabilitation of those already afflicted. There are now specially designed drugs education programmes in place in all of our prisons. A range of other initiatives with offenders in custody have been promoted by me over the last two years. These include the drug-free regime in the training unit and the drug treatment facility which is based at the Mountjoy Prison's health care unit. Both of these initiatives were put in place with my encouragement and support during 1996 and are working well.

The delivery of medical services in the prisons is co-ordinated by the Director of Prison Medical Services. The director liaises regularly with the Eastern Health Board in respect of the Prisons Medical Service and related matters in order to seek to ensure a level of primary health care for prisoners at a standard equivalent to what is available in the community. Developments in the medical services for addicts in the community are closely monitored with a view to their application in the prisons where practicable. I am pleased to note that there has been an ongoing high degree of co-operation between the Eastern Health Board including the agencies under its aegis and my Department. An example was the assistance received in the context of the provision of the necessary professional services for the drug treatment unit. I would hope that this co-operation between the prisons and the Eastern Health Board, in the interest of tackling this communitywide problem, would continue and, if feasible, expand.
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