MINISTER FOR Justice Alan Shatter said he would like to see drug-free spaces in every prison.

“I would like to see prisoners who are addicted to drugs to have every opportunity to come off drugs rather than merely substituting methadone for drugs.”

He said he was examining what reforms he could introduce in the prison system with the limited resources available. Prison overcrowding remained a challenging issue, with 4,433 prisoners in custody this month compared to 2,919 in 2000. Some 400 extra prisoner places would come on stream by the middle of next year.

The Minister was replying to Jonathan O’Brien (SF), who said he appreciated that legislation had been introduced to provide for community service orders and similar measures that would reduce the number of prisoners.

It was imperative that there be a safe environment in prisons. “In particular we need to provide drug-free support units in all prisons,” said Mr O’Brien.

Mr Shatter said the Government was committed to the elimination of slopping out in prisons. The upgrading of more than 100 cells in Mountjoy would be completed by the end of the summer. When taken with the completion of construction projects, there would be 80 per cent in-cell sanitation by the middle of next year. Feasibility studies were under way on the further implementation of the refurbishment plan.

He said the committee examining the Thornton Hall prison project was due to report next month and he looked forward to its recommendations. Its terms of reference went beyond commenting on whether a prison should be built on the site. It would inform how the Government proceeded within the financial resources available.