MEDIA NOTIFICATION

Minister's Visit to Wheatfield Prison

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Dermot Ahern TD will be visiting Wheatfield Prison this Thursday, 4 December.

The Minister will be viewing the enhanced visitor screening measures that have been introduced at the prison, including the drug-detection dog service .

You are invited to attend or send a representative on your behalf. Anyone wishing to attend should inform the Press Office of the Irish Prison Service at 043 3335211 or at pressoffice@irishprisons.ie. We cannot guarantee admittance to anyone who does not provide their details beforehand. Those attending should arrive at Wheatfield Prison between 3.15 and 3.30pm.

Those attending should be aware that they will not be permitted to bring mobile phones into the prison and will have to pass through the security screening procedures, as is the case with all visitors to the prison. Please also see enclosed guidelines for photos and filming.

Press Office
2 December 2008

Note for Editors:

New Enhanced Security Measures

In June 2007 the Government approved the resources necessary to introduce a package of new security measures which will target the routes whereby contraband such as drugs, weapons and mobile phones are trafficked into our prisons. Since then the Irish Prison Service has been putting in place the necessary physical infrastructure for these measures, recruiting the extra staff and the roll-out of the various elements commenced in May 2008.

The establishment of a Drug Detection Dog Service
The establishment of a Drug Detection Dog Unit (comprising 31 dog handling teams) will be a national Unit whose staff will not form part of the authorised complement of any particular prison. A pilot project involving the provision of dogs and handlers by a private company began in May 2006, however, the Irish Prison Service is in the process of training our own staff to fill this unit. The first ten such teams are in operation having completed their training with the Northern Ireland Prison Service and another six teams will complete their training in mid December.

The introduction of security screening for all personnel entering our closed prisons
In order to further prevent the trafficking of contraband, enhanced security screening measures have been introduced whereby all entrants (visitors and staff alike) to our institutions are subject to searching and screening. In this regard walk through metal detectors have been installed in each closed prison and every visitor and member of staff is required to pass through the metal detector before being granted access to the prison. X-ray scanners have also been provided and all hand bags, briefcases, packages, coats etc., are screened. A random stop and search procedure will also be introduced in tandem with the above measures. This screening is now operational in all closed prisons.

The establishment of an Operational Support Group
These Units act as a dedicated search team, the first responders to any alarm or incident, the designated control & restraint team for cell removals and relocations and the on call fire picket. The Group also have the following additional responsibilities; gathering and collating all intelligence information in the prison; carrying out high profile escorts; assisting the security chief officer in the continuing assessment and improvement of security within the prison. These Units are now operating in all closed prisons.

The opening of a new segregation unit for serious drug and criminal gang members
The first such unit in Cloverhill Prison has been completed.

The development of Mobile Phone Inhibition technology
The installation of a pilot scheme of technology to prevent the use of mobile phones in prisons began in Midlands / Portlaoise Prison Complex in April 2007.

The Inhibitors are being introduced on a phased basis in terms both of the physical structure of the prison, i.e., on a building by building basis and also in terms of the communications bands / channels that are being inhibited.

The Midlands scheme is now nearing completion and the Irish Prison Service is at an advanced stage in terms of its acceptance testing procedures. All indications continue to be very positive and the project to install inhibitors in Portlaoise Prison has commenced.

Guidelines for Photos/Filming
Those attending at Wheatfield Prison should be aware that a number of specific photo/filming opportunities will be provided, but that some basic guidelines must be adhered to:

No prison staff can be filmed or photographed unless permission is given by the Press Officer on the day to do so.

Under no circumstances are the dog handlers to be identifiable. The general rule would be that all shots be below waist level, but some better shots/poses will be arranged.

Prisoners, visitors or other persons who happen to be in the general area on the day can not be filmed or photographed.

As with all attending, the directions of Prison staff and the Press Officer must be followed at all times.