This report summarises the most recently available data with regard to drug use, drug-related harms and drug-related health responses in prisons in the Republic of Ireland.

There are 13 institutions in the Irish Prison Service (IPS), comprising 10 traditional ‘closed’ institutions, 2 open centres that operate with minimal internal and perimeter security, and 1 ‘semi-open’ facility with traditional perimeter security but minimal internal security, which is mainly used to house older prisoners (the Training Unit). The majority of female prisoners are accommodated in the purpose-built Dóchas Centre adjacent to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, and the remainder are located in a separate part of Limerick Prison. The average number in custody in 2023 was 4,582, compared with 4,122 in 2022, an increase of 11.2%. The average number of males in custody was 4,368, a 10.6% increase on 2022, and the average number of females was 214, an increase of 23.7% from the previous year’s figure. The IPS estimates that approximately 70% of people come into prison with an addiction or substance abuse problem. In 2023, there were 546 persons (506 male and 40 female) sentenced to Irish prisons for controlled drug offences.

Political responsibility for the prison system in Ireland is vested in the Minister for Justice. The IPS operates as an executive agency within the Department of Justice and is headed by a Director General supported by five directors. The provision of prison healthcare is based on a set of policy documents drawn up by various stakeholders.

In 2022, 1,400 drug tests were carried out on inmates in Irish prisons, with 99 inmates recorded as either refusing to take a test or coming back with a false result. There were 268 definite positives along with 1,031 negatives. Drugs detected during testing included opioids, cannabis, and benzodiazepines. In 2024, there were 1,035 drug seizures in prisons, compared with 1,294 recorded in 2023. The IPS recognises that improvements are required in this area. Additional security measures aimed at further enhancing the security of prisons have included the introduction of a free confidential telephone line, which is now operational.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among prisoners in Ireland remains poorly understood. A cross-sectional study conducted in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, found that, of those tested, 92 (22.8%) were HCV antibody-positive. Of those who were antibody-positive, 53 (57.6%) tested positive for HCV RNA (ribonucleic acid); 23 (25.0%) had spontaneous clearance; 16 (17.4%) had a sustained viralogic response (SVR); 10 (11.0%) were co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); and 6 (6.0%) were co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The untreated chronic HCV seroprevalence estimate was 13.1%, and the seroprevalence of HCV among prisoners with a history of injecting drug use (IDU) was 79.7%.