Suspected overdoses at Portlaoise Prison ‘probably due to synthetic opioids’

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The 10 suspected overdoses by people at Portlaoise Prison were probably linked to a synthetic opioid, a detective has said.

A number of prisoners were taken to hospital by ambulance on Tuesday while others received treatment at the prison.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) said it was “working closely” with the HSE in response to a number of overdose presentations in custody.

The incident came less than a month after the IPS issued an urgent drug alert to all prisons about a “nitazene-type substance” following a fatal overdose.

Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland said that he had raised concerns about synthetic opioids such as fentanyl at a meeting of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use last September.

Though fentanyl has not become an issue in Ireland, he said that nitazene had caused “very significant incidents” and been responsible for “multiple overdoses”.

Mr Boland, who works at the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), said it was “an unfortunate trend that we’re going to have to deal with”.

Asked whether they were liaising with the Irish Prison Service in relation to Portlaoise Prison, he said: “Yes, an Garda Síochána is working, has been working, continues to work very close with the Irish Prison Service in relation to that matter and all other matters.”

He added: “There are and have been very, very high-level meetings that have been taking place over a protracted period in relation to difficulties that are being experienced.

“The issues in Portlaoise Prison yesterday feedback into the dangers of the synthetic opioids and these synthetic opioids that are actually available and have been causing similar problems all across Ireland since late last November.

“Now, I make that comment in advance of knowing what is the exact cause of that, but I think an informed opinion would say that it’s probably going to turn out to be something like a synthetic opioid.”

He said of the trend of synthetic opioids in Ireland in general: “It is a concern. It’s a trend we were aware that was taking place across Europe among organised crime groups. That has not gone away.

“Our Health Service Executive (HSE) and our Department of Health are working very, very close.

“A national red alert group has been established, chaired by Professor Raymond Keenan who’s the clinical lead in the HSE and An Garda Síochána is involved in that through the GNDOCB.”