RTÉ: Prison overcrowding making drug problem worse, says Irish Penal Reform Trust
14th August 2024
On 14 August 2024, Irish Penal Reform Trust Executive Director, Saoirse Brady, spoke to RTÉ in the wake of the news of a number of ten people in prison being hospitalised with suspected drug overdoses.
Saoirse outlined that overcrowding was contributing to some of the issues with drugs in prison. Yesterday, capacity was 5,017 over all prisons - which equals 112% capacity, and in Portlaoise, this was 107% yesterday.
Saoirse also said that a lot of people in the prison system have an existing addiction and part of the problem is that they do not always get the support they need while in prison.
"There is a health-led approach in the community to substance misuse, and the emphasis should be on that within the prison estate as well, taking into account the security considerations that are there. Drug use in prison does happen and a zero tolerance approach doesn't always work," she said.
Related items:
- IPRT presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme: Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025
- Prisons today Alternative sentences for most prisoners? Podcast Interview on Near FM with Saoirse Brady
- Niamh McCormack spoke to Angela Noone-Faull of CRCfm in Mayo on The Chatroom,
- Prison overcrowding crisis has deepened further this year
- New prisons ‘will not solve’ overcrowding crisis