Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:468. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the steps she intends taking in the very short term to deal with overcrowding in our prison system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6321/24]
View answerTuesday, 13 February 2024
Questions (468)
Written answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts and as such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.
Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, my officials in the Irish Prison Service make every effort to deal with this through a combination of inter-prison transfers and structured Temporary Release.
All applications for temporary release continue to be assessed by the Irish Prison Service on a case-by-case basis under the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 and all matters set out are considered before any release is effected. These considerations include risk to the community, the nature of the offence, previous convictions, engagement with services and reports from An Garda Síochána, the Governor and the Probation Service. The Deputy will wish to note that the safety of the public is paramount when decisions are taken regarding temporary release.
The Irish Prison Service is working closely with my officials in the Department of Justice to take steps to ensure a safe working environment for staff and the safety and security of all those in custody. A Prison Overcrowding Response Group has been established, with officials from across the Department, the Irish Prison Service, Probation Service, Courts Service, and An Garda Síochána and this group is currently examining proposals to address overcrowding.
Some recent measures introduced by the Irish Prison Service in 2023 include the expansion of criteria for participation in the Community Return and Community Support Schemes to allow additional people to become eligible for assessment for suitability to participate on these structured and supported temporary release schemes.
While focused on rehabilitation and reducing offending, we do also need to continue to invest in our prison estate to ensure that it is modern and fit for purpose and that it has the capacity to accommodate those committed to prison by the courts.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has made significant capital funding available to the Irish Prison Service in order to enhance the existing prison infrastructure and to provide additional capacity.
In recent years, works have been completed to modernise the Mountjoy complex, a new prison was constructed in Cork and additional prisoner accommodation was provided in the Midlands Prison.
Furthermore, the Training Unit in Mountjoy was reopened providing an additional 96 spaces and the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick in 2022, together with the opening of the standalone female prison in Limerick has, between these 3 developments, brought additional capacity across the estate to in-excess of 200 new spaces.
Plans have also been outlined for 4 capital projects at Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy prisons to deliver a maximum of 620 additional spaces. I am continuing to engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to progress an agreed schedule of capital builds, including the delivery of additional Prison spaces.