Almost 3,000 prisoners waiting for psychology and addiction services 

Almost 3,000 prisoners waiting for psychology and addiction services 

The importance of addressing the drugs crisis in prisons around the country was brought into sharp focus last month when 11 suspected drug overdoses were rushed to hospital from Portlaoise Prison. Picture: Collins Photos

Almost 3,000 people in Irish prisons are on waiting lists to access psychology and addiction services.

The number of people waiting to for a psychology appointment is almost four times the number currently receiving mental health services in the prison system.

As of August 1, the number of people on the prison psychology service was 526 while approximately 2,090 are waiting to be seen.

According to the Irish Prison Service (IPS), the average wait time for a psychology service is 31.4 days.

In addition, the most recent figures from the Department of Justice shows that at the end of June, there were 888 prisoners waiting to access addiction counselling services.

The importance of addressing the drugs crisis in prisons around the country was brought into sharp focus last month when 11 suspected drug overdoses were rushed to hospital from Portlaoise Prison.

Earlier in the summer, prison numbers breached the 5,000 mark for the first time ever and the department estimates that up to 70% of the prisoner population have addiction issues.

It is simply not good enough that prisoners are not getting the supports that they need while in custody, Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward said.

There has been a problem with drugs in our prison for a long, long time now and if somebody is actively seeking help for their addiction they should be given that help at the earliest possible stage.

Mr Ward said it is "simply not good enough" to have a 12-week delay in accessing the necessary services.

With dangerous new drugs circulating in Irish prisons, mental health and addiction supports are more than just life-changing, they are life saving, the Dublin TD said.

Addiction therapy in prisons is provided through Merchant's Quay Ireland with 19 addiction counsellors currently working with recent recruitments set to increase this capacity.

There are approximately 350 prisoners under the care of psychiatric services who have a diagnosis such as schizophrenia and psychosis. A waiting list for those who are critically ill and require admission to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment varied between 15-25 people over the last three years with the list reviewed on a weekly basis.

Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) executive director Saoirse Brady said the current situation in prisons is concerning as prison is inherently traumatic but is compounded when it is overcrowded.

Ms Brady said the IPS is failing to reach its own targets for the number of people who should be seen by a psychologist.

In 2022, the target was 2,000 prisoners but just 1,303 people were seen. Last year, the target was raised to 2,200 but the real figure fell short once again with 1,627 prisoners seen in 2023.

The IPRT will be asking for further investment in prison services in the upcoming budget to resource prison psychology service and addiction couselling.

"I would say they need to invest at least €1m in mental health and addiction services within prison to really address some of those basic needs that people have," said Ms Brady.

The IPS have put forward proposals for additional mental health support as part of the estimates process for Budget 2025, and these are being considered.

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