Vol. 461 No. 6
131 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Justice the policy in relation to treating addicts on a methadone maintenance programme in prisons; if she has satisfied herself with the level of availability of this programme; and her views on whether this programme should be reviewed and developed further. [3406/96]
At present drug addicted prisoners may, following committal, avail of limited detoxification programmes where appropriate in individual cases. Arrangements, which will enable individuals who were availing of a recognised methadone maintenance programme immediately prior to committal to prison to continue to receive such programmes following committal, are now at an advanced stage of preparation, in the context of a range of measures for drug addicted prisoners currently being implemented at the Mountjoy Prison complex. I want to emphasise, however, that the prescription of methadone is in every case a matter for a medical practitioner and that extremely strict medical and security criteria must govern any such arrangements in a prison setting.
