Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
364. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which the smuggling of drugs into prisons has been curtailed; the ambitions for same in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42819/20]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service is committed to addressing both the demand for and the supply of illegal drugs. The prevention of access to contraband including illegal drugs into prisons will always be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service.
It is considered that approximately 70% of prisoners who are committed to custody have addiction issues.
Many of those with active addiction continue their drug seeking behaviour inside prison, notwithstanding the supports that are available to address their addiction.
Drugs will continue to be an issue in our prisons as long as people continue to take drugs in our communities.
The Irish Prison Service is finalising a new Keeping Drugs Out of Prisons Policy which will be published early next year
The Service is committed to making improvements in security measures and recently introduced new technologies such as drug swabbing equipment which is similar to airport style explosives swabbing.
The Service have also introduced a pilot anti-drone system in two Dublin prisons and I am advised that this has proven to be successful. The Prison Service are in the process of installing the technology in a number of other locations before the end of 2020, with the system to be rolled out to the remaining locations in 2021.
I can inform the Deputy that as of 5th December, 2020 there were 1,172 drug seizures throughout the prison estate compared to 1,195 as of 7th December 2019.
Table 1 below sets out the number of suspected drug seizures in Irish Prisons to date in 2020 (figures up to and including 5th December 2020).
The Prison Service continues to seek to construct a range of programmes, support services and through-care options for prisoners demonstrating a commitment to addressing their substance misuse. In line with Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, the National Drug Strategy, the Prison Service has an agreed protocol with the Health Service Executive for the seamless transition of prisoners established on drug treatment into community drug treatment settings.
The Irish Prison Service also provides support to prisoners to address their addiction needs while in custody, there are 22 addiction counsellors employed across the prison estate.
|
|
Total seizures per prison as at 07/12/2019 |
Total seizures per prison as at 05/12/2020 |
|
Castlerea |
58 |
33 |
|
Cloverhill |
176 |
190 |
|
Cork |
58 |
52 |
|
Dochas |
15 |
3 |
|
Limerick |
79 |
112 |
|
Midlands |
96 |
33 |
|
Mountjoy |
225 |
268 |
|
Portlaoise |
17 |
11 |
|
Shelton Abbey |
0 |
1 |
|
Wheatfield |
471 |
469 |
|
Total |
1,195 |
1,172 |
