Three prisoners are now in critical condition after a mass overdose incident at Portlaoise Prison yesterday.

A total of 11 people are receiving treatment in hospital after the incident at the prison yesterday.

Three are now in intensive care, with their condition described as critical.

The other eight are in a serious condition.

It's believed the affected inmates had taken a synthetic opioid.

A quantity of white powder has been sent for analysis with a result expected sometime this morning.

Synthetic opioids

Gardaí have said they are working closely with the Irish Prison Service on the incident.

Speaking today, Detective Chief Superintendent Séamus Boland said the use of the synthetic drug is becoming an unfortunate trend.

“There are and have been very, very high-level meetings taking place over a protracted period in relation to these difficulties,” he said.

“The issues in Portlaoise Prison yesterday feed back into the dangers of synthetic opioids.

“These synthetic opioids that are available have been causing similar problems [in the community].”

Overcrowding

All of the impacted prisoners had been housed in the C Wing of the prison, where a quantity of white powder was discovered soon after the overdose presentations.

Irish Penal Reform Trust CEO Saoirse Brady told Newstalk that overcrowding is a contributing factor to the drug issue in Ireland’s prisons.

“We have more than 5,000 people in prison for the first time and that is putting huge pressure on already overstretched services,” she said.

“There is a huge pressure point there for the prison system because they are not used to dealing with this number of people in prison and it puts huge amounts of pressure on their staff as well.”

"Extra vigilance"

In a statement, the Irish Prison Service (IPS)said it was working with the HSE and had secured extra naxolone kits – which are used to reverse the effects of opioids like heroin, morphine and methadone.

“Extra vigilance is being taken across the prison estate and the Irish Prison Service has commenced an information campaign for prisoners around the dangers of consuming contraband,” it said.

“The Irish Prison Service is committed to preventing the access of contraband including drugs into prisons and continues to be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service."

Drug alert

Three weeks ago, the IPS issued an urgent drug alert to all prisons due after a HSE analysis confirmed the presence of a ‘nitazene-type drug’ in prisons.

Nitazine is a powerful synthetic opioid that has been associated with previous overdoses in Irish prison, one of which was fatal.

Prison officials are waiting on the results of the analysis test before confirming the substance involved in yesterday’s mass overdose.

Prisoners, visitors, staff or members of the public with information on the trafficking of drugs into Irish prisons can contact the free confidential telephone line on 1800 855 717 or text line on 086 180 2449 to pass on that information in the strictest confidence.

With reporting from Emily Keegan and Stephanie Rohan.