New prison yard cover being trialled at Portlaoise Prison

A new type of mesh yard covering is being tested at Portlaoise Prison in an attempt to keep drugs and other contraband out of the jail. 

The Irish Prison Service(IPS) confirmed the mesh covering was being piloted in one yard at the prison. If successful,  the new yard covering could be rolled out across all of the prisons in Ireland.  

The trial, which began in early 2024, comes as drones are becoming an increasing problem at prisons across Ireland. Earlier this week a teenager and man in his late 20s were arrested after a drone was spotted flying beside Portlaoise Prison. 

Drones are an increasing concern for prison authorities who have noticed changing tactics for their use in bringing contraband into prisons. 

One of the methods being used to bring illicit substances into prisons involves filling a ball with drugs or other contraband, suspending it from a drone and setting it alight. The flaming ball is then dropped onto the mesh yard cover and it burns through before dropping into the yard. It’s thought the new mesh being trialed in Portlaoise will combat this method of contraband delivery.  

The IPS said it is “committed to preventing the access of contraband into prisons and continues to be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service. The Irish Prison Service continues to have high level engagement and the sharing of intelligence with An Garda Síochána on a regular basis which is resulting in the seizure of contraband, arrests and significant disruption to organised crime involved in smuggling contraband into Irish Prisons.”

They are concerned not only about the negative impact of contraband on prisoners but also the possible hazard illegal drone use presents to members of the public near prisons.

“An Garda Síochána continues to support the Irish Prison Service operationally with ongoing operations in each relevant Garda Division, including Operation Throwover which is supporting the Irish Prison Service at Mountjoy Prison. Operations such as Operation Throwover are intended to disrupt, interdict and prosecute attempts to introduce contraband into prisons.

The Irish Prison Service has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support our efforts to keep contraband out of prisons. Prison staff have increased the use of random and intelligence led cell searches on a daily basis. Our Canine Unit carry out searches around the prisons, including a greater focus on searching deliveries into prisons. The Operational Support Group work closely with their colleagues in An Garda Síochána on a regular basis and the sharing of intelligence has led to target searches resulting in the seizure of contraband,” the IPS stated. 

There is a free confidential telephone line (1800 855 717) and text line (086 180 2449) which is operational. Prisoners, visitors, staff or members of the public with information on the trafficking of prohibited items into our prisons can pass on that information in the strictest confidence.