Prison Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 May 2013

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Questions (224)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

224. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the bed capacity of each prison in March 2012, December 2012, February 2013, March 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23345/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I can advise the Deputy that the bed capacity of each prison on the dates requested are set out in the table.

Institution	Bed Capacity	Bed Capacity	Bed Capacity	Bed Capacity
	1st March 2012	1st December 2012	1st February 2013	1st March 2013
Mountjoy (Male)	590	590	540	540
Mountjoy (Female)	105	105	105	105
Training Unit	127	127	116	116
St. Patrick’s	217	217	217	191
Cloverhill	431	431	431	431
Wheatfield	670	700	700	680
Midlands	616	636	900	870
Portlaoise	311	291	291	291
Cork	250	250	210	210
Limerick (Male)	260	260	220	220
Limerick (Female)	34	34	34	28
Castlerea	351	351	351	351
Arbour Hill	148	148	142	142
Loughan House	160	140	140	140
Shelton Abbey	110	115	115	115
Totals	4,380	4,395	4,512	4,430

The bed capacities of prisons can change due to a number of different factors. In some cases the capacities can increase due to the opening of new prisoner accommodation as was the case in Midlands Prison at the end of 2012 when the capacity increased from 636 to 900 following the opening of a new 179 cell accommodation block.

Similarly, the capacity of a prison can be reduced temporarily due to the closure of a wing or landing as is the current case in Mountjoy Prison where the capacity has been reduced with the closure of the A Wing for refurbishment and Wheatfield where the bed capacity decreased by 20 spaces to facilitate the development of a committal unit.

As the Deputy is aware and as outlined in the Irish Prison Service Three Year Strategic Plan, it is the intention of the Irish Prison Service to seek to align the capacity of our prisons with the guidelines laid down by the Inspector of Prisons, in so far as this is compatible with public safety and the integrity of the criminal justice system.

In 2012 and in the first quarter of this year, priority has been given to reducing the chronic overcrowding in Mountjoy, Cork, Limerick Prisons and the Dóchas Centre. A new prisoner accommodation block in the Midlands Prison, which opened in December last year, has allowed the Prison Service to reduce the capacity and the number in custody in both Cork and Limerick Prison. In addition, the opening of a new 20 space accommodation block, which was formerly used as an administration building, has helped alleviate the overcrowding being experienced in the Dochas Centre.