510. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice the total number of people on a waiting list for addiction counselling services in the Irish Prison Service on 1 July 2024; the number of people attending addiction counselling services; the average waiting time for those currently waiting and the average time waited by those who gain access to addiction counselling services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29183/24]

Helen McEntee, Minister for Justice: The Irish Prison Service provides a health care service for people with addictions in a structured, safe and professional way in line with international best practice. The Irish Prison Service continues to be committed to, and involved with, the National Drugs Strategy in partnership with community colleagues and organisations.

It is the policy of the Prison Service that, where a person committed to prison gives a history of opiate use and tests positive for opioids, they are offered a medically assisted, symptomatic detoxification, if clinically indicated.

Patients can, as part of the assessment process, discuss other treatment options with healthcare staff and those treatment options may include stabilisation on methadone maintenance for those  who wish to continue on maintenance while in prison, and when they return to the community on release.

The Irish Prison Service engages Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to provide a prison-based addiction counselling service across the entire Irish Prison Service estate (with the exception of Arbour Hill Prison where there is currently no clinical need for such a service, though this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis). The addiction counselling service includes structured assessments and evidence-based counselling interventions, with clearly-defined treatment plans and goals.

The MQI service provides a range of counselling and intervention skills related to substance misuse and dependency. These include motivational interviewing and enhancement therapy, a twelve step facilitation programme, cognitive behavioural therapy and harm reduction approaches and people in custody are offered one to one counselling and group work interventions.

The Irish Prison Service and MQI prioritise those that are in greatest clinical need, and work together as part of a multidisciplinary team to manage the waiting list. MQI team leaders review caseloads with each addiction counsellor monthly to ensure that cases are closing appropriately.

There are many local variables unique to each prison which can influence how long a person could remain on the waiting list to see an addiction counsellor. These factors include access to the person if they are on remand, their expected date of release, where in the prison they reside (e.g. are they on protection or non-protection), and their individual work schedule.

To manage these unique prison by prison variables, MQI are working on bespoke options.  For example, in Cloverhill Prison, MQI in conjunction with the IPS, are preparing to pilot a new triage model which aims to direct the person in custody to the most appropriate follow up after assessment - e.g. one-to-one on site counselling, one-to-one counselling utilising online systems, or onsite group support. This will be implemented before the end of this year, and will run for an initial six-month period, followed by an evaluation. MQI also provides a full time phone line in the prison estate to provide more immediate support and reduce pressure on waiting lists.

It will also be of interest to the Deputy to know that the Prison Service published a new “Drug Strategy 2023 – 2026” in November 2023. This strategy re-affirms the Prison Service’s commitment to working steadfastly to reduce the harm of drug use within the prison population. This strategy sets out practical goals to increase support for security measures to prevent access, education and information programmes to deter trafficking, and promote drug treatment and counselling services in collaboration with government and non-government partners to help tackle the insidious threat posed by illegal drug use and trafficking.

In addition, the Irish Prison Service is developing a bespoke, peer-led recovery model to support people in custody who face addiction difficulties.  Part of this peer led recovery model will provide for co-occurring difficulties associated with mental health and addiction.

I can advise the Deputy that there are currently 618 prisoners engaged in addiction counselling in prisons nationally.  There were a further 827 prisoners on waiting lists to access addiction counselling services as at end of May 2024, a breakdown by prison is provided in the table below.  The data in respect of the average waiting time to access addiction counselling services is not currently recorded.