Prison officers have again called for urgent action by the Government to tackle the problems associated with drug abuse in prisons, particularly in Mountjoy, where up to 60 per cent of inmates are addicts.
Documents before the conference showed that under agreed medical policies on substance abuse, sterilising tablets or bleach should be available to intravenous drug abusers who are sharing needles to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with infectious diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. It is also recommended that condoms be available.
The policy document drawn up by the Department of Justice and the Eastern Health Board also recommends that the methadone maintenance programmes in the community be extended into Mountjoy Prison. It states that 60 per cent of prisoners in Mountjoy have a history of substance misuse and that between 20 per cent and 35 per cent of the prison population are "actively using" in the prison.
Between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the female prisoners are in custody for drug-related offences.
The report recommends "drug-free" zones for prisoners not abusing drugs and programmes for supply and demand reduction for drugs. It says there is a need for a detoxification wing within the medical unit. There are between 1,200 and 1,500 detoxification cases each year in the medical unit in Mountjoy.
Commenting on the situation in Mountjoy, the POA vice-president, Mr Frank O'Donnell, said: "Prison officers deal with prisoners under the influence of illegal substances on a daily basis.
"Hepatitis, TB and HIV are a serious occupational hazard. So, too, is the possibility of needle stick when searches are being carried on."