Over 2,174 mobile phones were seized in the State’s prisons in 2009 and so far in January, new figures show.
The details were released in a parliamentary question from Fine Gael’s justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.
The greatest number of phones seized was in Mountjoy prison in Dublin, where 904 mobiles were discovered during 2009 and a further 54 up to January 17th. Some 309 phones were seized in Limerick prison last year, and five more were seized in January.
At St Patrick’s institution in Dublin, a total of 124 phones were seized in 2009 and up to January 17th. At Wheatfield, there were 331 phones seized in total.
In response to the written question, Mr Ahern said section 36 of the Prisons Act, 2007 makes it an offence for prisoners to have unauthorised possession of or use of mobile telecommunication devices.
It is also an offence to supply a phone to a prisoner and penalties on conviction are a fine of up to €5,000 imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.
Mr Ahern said cell and area searches for contraband such as mobile phones take place in all prisons “on a daily basis”.
“These include random, targeted and intelligence led searches. These searches have been particularly effective and local intelligence indicates that the availability of mobile phones has decreased across the prison system.”
The Minister said it was important to note that “a large percentage” of the seizures are not directly from prisoners but are instead “retrieved at entry point or before they get to the prisoner population”.
“This is as a direct consequence of newly introduced security measures including a airport style scanners and X-ray machines, which are in operation at the entrances of all the relevant closed prisons.”
He said reporting systems for this year are currently being modified to differentiate between seizures within the prison and at point of entry to the prison.
Mr Flanagan said the number of seizures was “proof positive that the problem of criminals communicating with associates on the outside is ongoing and that they are continuing to thumb their nose at the law prohibiting the use of mobile phones in prisons”. He said the legislation was “simply not being enforced”.
“Criminals will continue to use mobile phones in our prisons because even when caught the chances of being charged and found guilty are minuscule. It is unacceptable that our penal system can be abused to this extent.”
Mr Flnagan noted the Minister attempted to introduce signal-blocking mechanisms two years ago which would have removed the incentive for criminals to even attempt to have phones smuggled into prisons.
“This attempt to prevent communication between criminals and their associates in the outside world has been an abject failure.”
A spokesman for Mr Ahern said tonight the large number of seizures showed detection measures were working.
"The fact that so many mobile phones have been seized underscores the effectiveness of the measures that have been put in place to prevent mobile phones getting into prisons," he said. "The most worrying fact would be if there were no seizures, which would then indicate that the measures stopping mobile phones weren't working.
"It is preposterous to suggest that because there are a lot of mobile phones seized then the system isn't working. It shows that it is actually working."