Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2025
416. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of recorded drone incursions at each prison in the State in the past five years, broken down by year and by institution, and the types of contraband recovered from those incidents. [67737/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra417. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total quantity and classification of contraband recovered following drone incursions into prisons since 2020, including drugs, weapons, mobile phones, SIM cards, and other prohibited items. [67738/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra418. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current security technology in place in each prison to detect, deter, or disable drone incursions; the date each system was installed; and the planned upgrades for 2026. [67739/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra419. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current staffing levels assigned to perimeter security in each prison; the standard operating procedures for responding to drone incursions; and the number of times these procedures were activated in the past three years. [67740/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra422. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the estimated financial impact on the prison system arising from drone-related contraband since 2020, including security responses, detection equipment, staff overtime, drug-treatment interventions, and property damage. [67743/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra423. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will publish the most recent internal risk assessment relating to drone incursions into prisons, including risk ratings, mitigation measures, and outstanding vulnerabilities identified. [67744/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 416, 417, 418, 419, 422 and 423 together.
It is proposed to take 67737/25, 67738/25, 67739/25,67740/25, 67743/25, and 67744/25 together.
I am advised by my officials that the Irish Prison Service addresses drone incursions across the prison estate by deploying all appropriate dynamic security measures responding to the nature and level of the threat in each instance.
In relation to the staffing and technology in place, the Irish Prison Service does not disclose detailed operational information that could compromise the integrity, security, or safety of any prison establishment. The controlled management of security-related information is a core component of maintaining a safe and secure custodial environment for staff, prisoners, and the wider community.
At this point in time it is not possible to collate the information sought regarding the financial impact, as work to reduce incursions of contraband to prison environments involves a range of collaborative actions involving multiple agencies. I can however, advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has invested €5 million to date in the nationwide installation of metallic mesh netting to prevent and reduce drone-enabled contraband drops.
The Irish Prison Service, together with An Garda Síochána, have completed several very successful collaborative operations in the past year delivering significant results, including multiple arrests and prosecutions linked to attempts to introduce drugs and other contraband into prisons by drone or throw-over. This intelligence-led, multi-agency co-operation is effectively disrupting and detecting attempted delivery of contraband into prisons and improving communication pathways regarding supply, availability, typology and impact of illicit substances in prisons.
In relation to the number of drone incursions at each prison, the Irish Prison Service Operational Support Group did not commence documenting a consistent central record of drone incidents until July 2024, when the prevalence of this type of incident increased. The figures provided in Table 1 below are of reports recorded from 1 January 2025 to 27 November 2025:
Table 1: Number of drone incidents recorded per prison in 2024 and 2025
|
Prison Location |
2025 (01 Jan – 27 Nov) |
2024 |
|
Wheatfield Prison |
199 |
84 |
|
Cloverhill Prison |
58 |
15 |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
46 |
35 |
|
Midlands Prison |
19 |
4 |
|
Portlaoise Prison |
13 |
1 |
|
Limerick Prison |
16 |
2 |
|
Castlerea Prison |
10 |
1 |
|
Cork Prison |
2 |
0 |
The types of contraband recovered from these incidents provide an insight into the importance of the close co-operative working between the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána to intercept these drone incursions. Items recovered include: various drugs, knives, blades, mobile phones, chargers and SIM cards.
Table 2 below sets out the record of items of contraband seized by the Irish Prison Service. Items recovered from drone incursions are not recorded separately to items recovered in other operations across the prison estate.
Table 2: Contraband seizures in Irish Prison Service 2016-2025
|
Year |
Phones |
Drugs |
Weapons |
|
2025 (To Oct 31st) |
1435 |
976 |
364 |
|
2024 |
1,236 |
1,035 |
260 |
|
2023 |
1,272 |
1,294 |
308 |
|
2022 |
1,439 |
1,390 |
312 |
|
2021 |
1,369 |
1,518 |
292 |
|
2020 |
1,148 |
1,251 |
294 |
|
2019 |
964 |
1,251 |
540 |
|
2018 |
962 |
1,138 |
664 |
|
2017 |
872 |
1,018 |
557 |
|
2016 |
648 |
715 |
435 |
