Three out of four inmates have drug problems

Three out of every four prisoners has a drug problem; one in seven are on methadone treatment; 30 are “psychotic” and waiting to be transferred to psychiatric hospitals at any time; and dozens would immediately become homeless if they were released, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.

Irish prison service officials revealed the scale of the difficulties facing the system as they confirmed that almost 500 prison officers have been seriously assaulted since 2012.