Parliamentary Question: Drugs in Prisons

12th November 2002

400. Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the research which has been carried out on drug misuse in Irish prisons; if there is ongoing research; if his Department intends to carry out new research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21268/02]

Mr. McDowell Mr. McDowell Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform: A number of studies in the area of drug misuse in Irish prisons has been undertaken in the past. These studies, listed below, have served to illustrate, among other things, the ill-effects that drug misuse has had on the prisoner population - Drug use among prisoners - An Exploratory Study, General Healthcare Study of the Irish Prisoner Population, Summary of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV in Irish Prisoners: Prevalence and Risk, Summary of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV in Irish Prisoners, Part II: Prevalence and Risk in Committal Prisoners 1999. These studies and the expertise developed by, and the experience of, the many people working in this area have laid the basis for the continuing expansion of drug treatment within the prisons.
 

An action plan on drug misuse and drug treatment in the prison system was approved in 1999. This advocated a broad based approach to raise the level of treatment for drug addicted offenders. The 1999 action plan, which built on an agreed policy between the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the then Eastern Health Board, advocated the expansion of detoxification facilities, more drug-free areas and the provision of methadone maintenance. It is my intention to continue with the implementation of the plan.

The national steering group, established in 1999 to implement the action plan continues to pursue a multi-disciplinary approach to the drugs problem with substantial input from the health sector, especially the Eastern Regional Health Authority. The group is chaired by the director of regimes in the Irish Prison Service. It has recently established a multi-disciplinary working group, composed of the in-house services and a member of the addiction studies department, Trinity College, to review the current drug treatment programme in the Mountjoy complex in terms of (a) the extent of ownership of the programme across a range of local stakeholders and voluntary agencies; (b) the extent to which the programme matches current best practice; and (c) to make relevant recommendations. In parallel to this review, another subgroup is developing a proposal for a major research project focusing on the follow-up of participants in the Mountjoy drug treatment programme to date.
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  The implementation of the action plan may well necessitate further research, much of which it will be possible for the prison service to carry out, in conjunction with other stakeholders. The Irish Prison Service is also committed to evaluating the effectiveness of all prison programmes, including those aimed at the reduction of drug misuse and, under the national drugs strategy 2001 to 2008, it has undertaken to commission and carry out an independent evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the prison strategy by mid 2004. This review will cover all aspects of drug services in prisons including research on the levels and routes of supply of drugs in prisons.

The prison service is currently in the process of establishing a research policy group to formulate proposals for research projects relevant to the custody, care and rehabilitation of prisoners. A research ethics committee has also been established to examine all proposals for research involving prisoners, from external and internal sources and to recommend to the Irish Prison Service authorisation, rejection or modification of any such proposals in so far as adherence to ethical standards is concerned. Finally, it is the intention of both myself and the prison service to continue to place a high priority on battling the scourge of drug misuse among prisoners and, to that end, any research that is necessary to progress that aim will be undertaken.