Parliamentary Question: Drugs in Prison

15th November 2000

243. Mr. Power asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he has taken to deal with the availability of drugs in prison; the success of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26033/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue): I assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to tackling the drug problem in the prison system. The action plan on drug misuse and drug treatment in the prison system which I approved last year provides a detailed strategy to raise the level of treatment for drug addicted offenders and reduce the supply of drugs in the prison system.

Efforts to reduce the supply of drugs in the prison system are being pursued vigorously. In this regard, a number of measures have been introduced in recent years to curtail the smuggling into and use of illegal drugs in the prison system. These include video surveillance, improved visiting and searching facilities, increased vigilance by staff and urine testing. This policy has been further strengthened in Cloverhill remand prison and the new Midlands Prison by the extensive use of screened visits. On occasions where visitors are found attempting to supply drugs to inmates, gardaí are called to the prison with a view to prosecuting the persons concerned.

I am satisfied that these measures are successful. For example, in the period April 1998 to April 2000, there were 622 seizures of drugs in Irish prisons and a number of people were successfully prosecuted for attempting to supply drugs to inmates.