700 drug seizures in prisons this year, Dáil committee hears

HALF of the prison population takes drugs and there have been almost 700 seizures this year, according to the Irish Prison Service (IPS).

IPS director general Brian Purcell said an estimated 18% of all prisoners will experience lifelong problems with drugs.

Addressing the Dáil Public Accounts Committee, Mr Purcell rejected criticism by Labour TD Tommy Broughan that the IPS had insufficient information about the incidence of drug use among prisoners. He claimed there had been significant improvements in the collection of data on all health aspects of prisoners in recent years.