Tony Gregory
Ceist:129 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice the treatment services available to drug users in St. Patricks Institution, Dublin 7, in view of the growing number of young people addicted to drugs.
Written Answers. - Treatment Services for Drug Users.
Offenders committed to St. Patrick's Institution who display symptoms of drug addiction are assessed medically and, where appropriate, placed by the prison doctor on a detoxification programme.
Drug-dependent offenders may avail of a full range of medical, psychiatric, psychological and welfare services within the prison and they may attend at outside hospitals as required. A psychologist and a psychiatrist attend the prison on a regular basis and are on-call. A number of community-based agencies involved with drug addiction problems also regularly visit the prison to counsel offenders. Where such offenders show the necessary commitment to rehabilitation, and do not appear to pose a threat to the community, they may be considered for release at an appropriate stage of sentence to enable them to attend community-based drug treatment centres.
Every effort is made by the prison staff and all the professional support services associated with St. Patrick's Institution to encourage and assist offenders to cease the use of addictive drugs.