asked the Minister for Justice (a) the daily average number of prisoners in prison for each of the last ten years, and (b) the daily average number of prisoners in prison for each month of 1980 to date in all prison establishments under his control, including Loughan House but excluding the Curragh Military Detention Centre.
Written Answers. - Prisoner Statistics.
209.
.lb (a) The daily average number of offenders in custody in the prisons and places of detention for the last ten years was as follows: 1979, 1,140; 1978, 1,179; 1977, 1,076; 1976, 1,049; 1975, 1,019; 1974, 961; 1973, 963; 1972, 1,035; 1971, 926; 1970, 749.
(b) The daily average in custody in all institutions for each month in 1980 was as follows: January, 1,131; February, 1,170; March, 1,183; April, 1,191 and May (up to 12.5.80), 1,206. .le
Loughan House is not a prison or place of detention. It is a special school. The daily average number there during each month in 1980 was as follows: January, 16; February, 18; March, 21; April, 22; May (up to 12.5.80), 22.