The Government's policy on drugs in prison is a "complete failure" with "zero inroads" made against drug use by inmates" Fine Gael's spokesman on justice said today.
Charlie Flanagan was commenting following an article published in today's Irish Timesthat reports that inmates in the Republic's prisons have tested positive for drugs 40,000 times over the past three years.
According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, detection rates are as high as 75 per cent in some jails.
"The Government has allowed a situation to develop whereby inmates are immersed in prison culture where drug taking is the norm," Mr Flanagan said.
The Fine Gael TD said the fact that drugs are being used to relieve the tedium of prison life because of the lack of rehabilitation facilities and opportunities is a worrying development.
He said: "The State has a responsibility to the people it incarcerates, not just to keep them off drugs, but to equip them with the skills to engage fully with society on release from prison.
"This is especially important for young offenders in St Patrick's Institution, where the State has a higher than normal duty of care," Mr Flanagan added.
Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte said it was quite clear the testing regime in prisons was not working as a deterrent.
"What is of most concern is that despite increased Garda surveillance, protective nets being installed, and additional security measures and restrictions being put in place, the rate of drug consumption has not dropped one iota," he said.
"In other words, the flow of drugs into our jails has not been stemmed, because the prison service has failed to identify their source."