There is undoubtedly a problem of drugs misuse in Mountjoy Prison. I can assure the House that in my time as Minister real progress has been made tackling this problem in our prisons. There are now a number of wide-ranging and complementary initiatives in place. The problem of drugs in the prisons is, just as in the wider community, a complex one. The notion that in our prisons it can be solved overnight by means of any single strategy is not a well thought out one. I can assure the Deputy that every means of preventing access to drugs by prisoners is fully explored and, if feasible, implemented.
In examining this aspect of the problem, particularly in Mountjoy Prison, it was apparent to me that visits were one of the main avenues utilised by persons attempting to pass illegal drugs to prisoners. I immediately approved a number of preventative and detection measures concentrated on the main visiting area in the prison and these have now been in place some time. I am pleased to be able to report that these measures have proved particularly effective in preventing the smuggling of drugs and drug paraphernalia to prisoners.
The most effective strategy for tackling this problem, of course, is prevention through education and the rehabilitation of those already afflicted. There are now specially designed drugs education programmes in place in all of our prisons. A range of other initiatives with offenders in custody have been promoted by me over the last two years. These include the drug-free regime in the training unit and the drug treatment facility which is based at the Mountjoy Prison's health care unit. Both of these initiatives were put in place with my encouragement and support during 1996 and are working well.