Vol. 478 No. 5
102 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, she has taken to deal with the problem of serious drug abuse by certain prisoners in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin 7; the training, personnel and financial resources which have been applied; if there is a comprehensive plan in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11637/97]
I am satisfied that in facing the problem of drug abuse in prisons in general and in Mountjoy Prison in particular, the initiatives which I have brought forward represent a well balanced and effective response to what is, without doubt, one of the greatest menaces facing society, inside and outside the prisons.
A number of measures aimed at curbing the supply of illegal drugs are in place in Mountjoy. These include video surveillance of the visiting area and special arrangements for the searching of prisoners following visits and on return from courts, hospitals etc. I am also awaiting the outcome of pilot tests using sniffer dogs to help detect drugs in the prison or on the way into prison.Any regime of searching must take into account the obligations on us to run a humane prison system.
The improvement of such detection measures in Mountjoy Prison during 1995, has led to a significant increase in the number of drug seizures made there. This is illustrated by the number of seizures in the main Mountjoy Prison involving illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia in which resulted in formal prison disciplinary proceedings against prisoners over the last three years which were as follows; 1994 — 172; 1995 — 392; 1996 — 423. There are also cases where gardaí have arrested visitors caught passing over drugs to offenders.
The most effective strategy for tackling the problem of drug abuse is prevention through education and the rehabilitation of those already addicted. There are now specially designed drugs education programmes in place in all our prisons. These include the drug treatment facility which is based at the Mountjoy Prison health care unit and the drug-free regime in the training unit. Both of these initiatives are working well.
The Mountjoy treatment unit is providing prisoners who, in many cases, have a history of chronic drug dependency, with an opportunity to avail of the most modern treatment and therapeutic methods while serving their sentences. Those who have completed their treatment programmes continue to be monitored and provided with support and assistance within the prison. Those who are released early are also monitored following their release back into the community. As with all such programmes it is important to note that treatment is voluntary and dependent in every case on the willingness of the individual to participate in the programme.
