The Irish Prison Service has said it has dealt with a number of drug overdoses in custody and has commenced an information campaign for inmates around the dangers of consuming contraband drugs, including synthetic opioids.
It comes as the HSE today extended its Red Alert to Irish prisons over concerns that a nitazene-type substance, which is a very strong and potentially deadly synthetic opioid, has made its way into supplies of drugs in prison.
Analysis conducted by the HSE National Drug Treatment Centre Laboratory has confirmed the presence of a nitazene-type substance called N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene - which has been associated with the overdoses in custody.
The Irish Prison Service says it is now working closely with the HSE and is urging extra vigilance.
Seperately, the Irish Prison Service has confirmed the death of a person in custody at Cork Prison yesterday.
It said the inmate's next of kin have been notified.
It said all deaths in custody are are investigated by the Irish Prison Service, the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána, where circumstances warrant.
The cause of death can only be determined by the coroner's office, it said.
