New measures to tackle the use of illegal drugs in prisons, including the appointment of a director of treatment services in Dublin, were promised yesterday by the Prisons Service.
A training officer and extra staff from the health professions are also to be appointed in line with the recommendations of a Department of Justice steering group which reported on the issue last year.
Announcing the appointments, Mr Sean Aylward, director general of the Prisons Service, acknowledged that while progress was being made, there was still "a hell of a lot more to do" in tackling the problem.
Attending the Prison Officers' Association annual conference in Kilkenny, Mr Aylward heard strong criticisms of the lack of progress in implementing the steering group report, which was published last July.
Mr Frank O'Donnell, the outgoing president of the POA, said the continued use of illegal drugs by prisoners was a major concern for prison officers. It was "completely unacceptable" that only a small number of the State's 3,300 prisoners could avail of drug-free areas, he said.
"The experience in England and Holland, where large numbers of prisoners on a voluntary basis are placed in drug-free divisions and drug-free prisons, has been very positive. The English and Dutch experience has been that the prisoners themselves police the drug-free policy because it is in their own interests."
The Department of Justice, however, says significant progress has been made. Steps taken to date include the opening last year of a drug-free unit with a capacity for 76 inmates at St Patrick's Institution. A methadone maintenance programme has been introduced at Mountjoy and Cloverhill prisons and by late April, 265 prisoners were taking part.
The new director of drug treatment services announced by Mr Aylward yesterday will be appointed in conjunction with the Eastern Regional Health Authority and will manage the delivery of treatment programmes in all prisons in the authority's area.
In addition to hiring health professionals, a number of existing prison staff will be trained in treatment and counselling, Mr Aylward added.
Prison officers' overtime continued to be a theme of the conference, and delegates mandated the union to borrow up to £2 million if necessary to be used as a strike fund in the event of a breakdown in discussions. With the cost of overtime in the service expected to reach £47 million this year, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, signalled his intention to bring to an end the "absurd situation" of some prison officers working 70 hours a week, when he addressed the conference on Thursday.
A joint union-management team has been set up to examine the issue and is to provide a blueprint by next spring.
Conference delegates were also told about a High Court case listed for May 23rd which could have serious implications for the union's finances. Mr O'Donnell said the case concerned a challenge, by six members of the Wheatfield branch, to the validity of a union ballot in 1997. "As this is a matter before the High Court I am very limited in what I can say other than to inform you that the case is due for hearing later this month and that the estimated cost is £500,000."
