Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999

Vol. 499 No. 3

Written Answers - Prison Drug Treatment Services.

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 310 and 312, inclusive, together.

Since taking up my appointment I have made it a priority to tackle the problem of drug abuse and addiction in the prison system. As I have said on many occasions in the past, I believe that the most effective strategy in dealing with drug addicted prisoners in a combination of appropriate treatment, education and rehabilitation. Treatment for drug addicted offenders is currently available in all prisons as part of the general medical services available to all prisoners.

My Department now has an agreed policy on substance abuse with the Eastern Health Board. An action plan to implement this policy in the prison system is under consideration at present. 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.

The safe and secure provision of methadone maintenance to suitable prisoners is among the issues for consideration in the drug treatment action plan. At present a small number of HIV positive prisoners receive methadone maintenance on a structured and supervised basis in Mountjoy Prison as part of their medical treatment.

Development of the drug treatment programmes and the drug free areas which are necessary to facilitate long-term methadone maintenance programmes for other prisoners is greatly hampered by overcrowding in Mountjoy Prison. However, this obstacle will be removed as the prison building programme progresses. The opening this year of the new women's prison at Mountjoy, a new male remand centre at Cloverhill and a new male prison in Portlaoise will help alleviate the problem.

A number of measures have been introduced in recent years to curtail the smuggling in and use of illegal drugs in the prisons. These include improved visiting and searching facilities, video surveillance, increased vigilance by staff, and urine testing. Where visitors are found attempting to supply drugs to inmates, gardaí are called to the prison and a number of persons have been successfully prosecuted. It is my intention to continue efforts to reduce the level of drug abuse in the prison system.

The drug treatment unit in Mountjoy has proven to be a success. One hundred and sixty eight inmates have been admitted to this unit since it opened in July 1996. The successful completion rate of the programme during the first twelve months of operation was 98 per cent. It has been 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. A review of the first two years of the drug treatment unit is due to be published shortly.

I am satisfied that the various treatment options available to drug addicts in prison are making a positive contribution to the fight against drug abuse generally in Irish society today and to the health of the individual prisoners 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 prisoners.