Drug use in prisons - A disturbing picture of indifference

AS OPPORTUNITIES for knee-jerk reactions go, yesterday’s news that there were nearly 40,000 positive drug tests in our prisons in the last three years is about as good as it gets.

It’s got glaring official incompetence, evidence of regular cocktail hours in prisons and further frightening proof that those behind Ireland’s drug culture can give two fingers to officialdom any time they choose to.

The figures also indicate that there has not been any fall in drug usage in prisons since the Government initiated a campaign with that aim four years ago.