Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 4

Written Answers - Prison Drug Treatment Services.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

54 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of drug treatment places required by the prison service; the number of places available; the proposals, if any, for the augmentation of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25121/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

152 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of drug treatment places available to prisoners; the number of addicts on these courses; the number who have been able to continue these courses on their release from prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25226/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

161 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the number of drug treatment places available to the prison service is sufficient to meet requirements; the plans, if any, he has to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25308/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

162 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners receiving treatment for drug addiction; the extent to which treatment is successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25309/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 152, 161 and 162 together.

As I have said on many occasions in the past, I believe that the most effective strategy in dealing with drug addicted offenders is a combination of appropriate treatment, education and rehabilitation. To this end, as the Deputy will be aware, there are specially designed information programmes addressing the risks associated with the misuse of drugs in place in all of our prisons. Not all of our penal institutions have a significant drugs problem. The majority of offenders with such problems are located in institutions in the Dublin area and in particular in Mountjoy Prison.

Treatment for drug addicted prisoners is currently available in all prison institutions as part of the general medical services available to all inmates. Any offender who is willing to make a real effort to stop abusing drugs and who shows the necessary commitment and motivation is supported by appropriate medical intervention and therapeutic counselling. It is however unfortunately the case that many offenders refuse to grasp the opportunities provided to address their addiction.

During 1997, following medical assessment, approximately 1,650 inmates in Mountjoy Prison received the standard 14 day drug detoxification programme in the prison. This programme is operated by the medical personnel in the prison and is aimed at weaning addicts off drugs by means of gradually reducing dosages of substitutes such as methadone.

More intensive treatment is available at the drug treatment unit which has been in operation in Mountjoy Prison's Health Care Unit since July 1996. The unit is modelled on similar hospital based units in the community. One hundred and fifty six inmates have been admitted to the drug treatment unit since it opened.

In addition, there are weekly Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the unit. Individual counselling is also available on request from the probation service and voluntary organisations such as Anna Liffey, Coolmine Therapeutic Community and the Merchant's Quay Project who visit the prison regularly.

There are a number of options available where inmates have completed the detoxification programme in the drug treatment unit. They can continue to serve their sentence in the general prison population; if they are considered suitable they can be granted temporary release to continue treatment with an outside agency or they may transfer to the drug free unit at the training unit adjacent to Mountjoy Prison. This unit provides a sympathetic, yet closely monitored setting in which those prisoners who are in the process of coming to terms with their addiction and who have achieved stable drug-free status can serve out their sentences in an environment free from the temptations and risks associated with illicit drugs. The regime in the drug free unit also provides inmates with valuable opportunities in the form of a wide range of work and training related activities to assist in the rehabilitation process.

The drug treatment unit has proven to be a success. The successful completion rate of the programme during the first twelve months of operation was 98 per cent. Of the 88 patients accepted into the programme in the first year, 36 had returned to drug use at the time of the review. A review of the first two years of its operation has proven that prisoners who are motivated and who are given an opportunity to engage in a structured detox and rehabilitation programme and whose environment is made drug free through strict regulation of visits will successfully stay off illicit drugs.

It is not possible to ascertain the number of addicts who continue treatment on their release from prison, although, as I have already said, many are referred on to community based courses on release.

I accept that the number of places available in dedicated drug treatment facilities in our prisons is insufficient. It is my intention to have a medical treatment programme and a secure drug free unit in every closed institution where it is considered necessary, as soon as this is possible. My Department has an agreed policy on substance abuse with the Eastern Health Board. A plan is being drawn up at present to implement this policy. In addition to examining the feasibility of providing a drug free area in each prison and increased detoxification facilities, it is intended to consider the development of further educational and training courses suitable for addicts and which could be devised in conjunction with an aftercare programme. Progress in developing drug treatment programmes and drug free areas is greatly hampered by overcrowding in the committal prisons. However, this obstacle will be removed as the prison building programme progresses. The opening of the new women's prison at Mountjoy, a new male remand centre at Cloverhill and a new male prison in Portlaoise in 1999 will help alleviate this problem.

The Working Group on a Courts Commission has presented its fifth report on the establishment of drugs courts. It is expected that the establishment of drugs courts will lead to a reduction in the number of treatment places needed in prisons as drug abusing offenders convicted for minor offences may be steered towards non-prison treatment options rather than be committed to prison in the first instance.

I am satisfied that the various treatment options available to drug addicts in prison are making a positive contribution to both the fight against drug abuse generally in Irish society today and to the health of the individual inmates who have the motivation to deal with their addiction. I recognise, however, that more needs to be done and, as I have indicated, I am currently examining options to improve the level of services available to drug addicted offenders.