A new strategy document published by the Irish Prison Service (IPS), entitled Irish Prison Service drugs strategy 2023–2026, proposes to tackle the use of illicit drugs in Irish prisons by focusing on education, detection, reduction, support, and treatment.1 The purpose of the IPS strategy is primarily to update the commitments of the IPS in its previous strategy, Keeping drugs out of prison,2 and to set out clear measures to be taken by the IPS to tackle the problem of substance abuse in prisons over the next three years.

There are 12 institutions in the IPS, comprising 10 traditional ‘closed’ institutions and two open centres that operate with minimal internal and perimeter security. The majority of female prisoners are accommodated in the purpose-built Dóchas Centre adjacent to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, while the remainder are located in a separate wing of Limerick Prison. Despite a lack of published data, interviews conducted with prisoners indicate that there is a readily available supply of drugs in some Irish prisons. Reports suggest that visits by friends and family and the throwing of drugs over perimeter walls are among the supply routes used in Irish prisons.3

The IPS recognises that the best way to reduce the demand for drugs in prison is by providing a range of evidence-based options. It has outlined three core tasks to support drug treatment and rehabilitation:

• Inform and educate
• Detect and reduce, and
• Support and treat. 

Inform and educate

The IPS will seek to broaden information and education to all people interacting with and living and working within Irish prisons to increase awareness of the devastating effects of bringing drugs into prisons. Measures will include:

• Increasing and improving media presence on all IPS media platforms regarding drug-related harm
• Improving the messaging in prison visiting areas to address harm reduction practices
• Increasing publicity for a confidential phoneline service via website and targeted messaging for visitors and service providers
• Maintaining membership of established international networks to continuously evaluate and develop new health approaches to manage the health impact of drugs in prisons, and
• Enhancing information-sharing networks with criminal justice partners and other State agencies to share learning regarding deterrent and detection advances in drug supply management. 

Detect and reduce

The IPS will work to further develop security measures to enhance the detection and prevention of the smuggling of drugs into prisons and to improve retrieval rates of drugs that make their way into prisons. This will include:

• Continued research to inform the ongoing development and enhancement of security measures for exercise yards as significant incursion risk points for illicit substances
• An increase in the number of screened visit areas
• Implementation of a mandatory process to present recognised photo IDs for all adult visitors
• Consideration of new methodologies and investment in security-scanning technology that more efficiently identifies contraband located in supplies and deliveries entering Irish prisons
• Establishment of formal operating procedures for general search practices and weekly targets for random and intelligence-led operational drug screening for prisoners in each prison, and
• Development of a mechanism to record operational drug screening results and enable sharing of information on detection trends with IPS Healthcare.

Support and treat

The IPS will continue to grow and improve medical and therapeutic interventions and services for people in prison living with addiction. In doing so, the IPS will recognise the overlapping presentations of addiction and mental health conditions and pursue an integrated approach to protect and maintain good health. Specifically, the IPS will:

• Appoint a national clinical lead for Mental Health and Addiction Services
• Engage with the Health Service Executive to implement a dual diagnosis programme in prisons to tackle the challenges of mental health and addiction in line with the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery4
• Evaluate the drug treatment programme available in Mountjoy Prison with a focus on improving the physical environment and operating procedures to achieve good clinical outcomes
• Review addiction counselling allocations with the supplier across all Irish prisons, and
• Increase collaboration with community-based agencies to audit the effectiveness of treatment post-release.

The IPS notes that the new drugs strategy seeks to reaffirm work already underway across the prison estate to interrupt the pathway of substances of abuse and to support those in active addiction when committed to the care of the IPS. It is hoped that with the support of sufficient resources, the IPS will continue to set targets to research, review, and enhance methods to tackle the problem of substance abuse and the prevailing demand for harmful drugs in the Irish prison environment.

1    Irish Prison Service (2023) Irish Prison Service drugs strategy 2023–2026. Dublin: Irish Prison Service. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/40035/

2    Irish Prison Service (2006) Keeping drugs out of prisons: drugs policy and strategy. Dublin: Irish Prison Service. Available from: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/11662/

3    Department of Justice (2023) Prison Visiting Committee annual reports 2021 [Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison, Cloverhill Prison, Cork Prison, Dóchas Centre, Limerick Prison, Loughan House, Midlands Prison, Mountjoy Prison, Portlaoise Prison, Shelton Abbey Prison, Wheatfield Prison]. Dublin: Department of Justice. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/39024/

4    Department of Health (2017) Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery: a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017–2025. Available from: Dublin: Department of Health. http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27603/