asked the Minister for Justice to state (a) the total capacity of each of the prisons and places of detention under his control; (b) the present number of persons detained in each such institution; (c) the number of persons in each such institution engaged in prison industries; and (d) the number of persons in each such institution engaged in educational programmes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prison Statistics.
15.
The information sought is in the form of a tabular statement, which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to have circulated with the Official Report. At the outset I should explain that, strictly-speaking, it is not possible to give an absolutely accurate answer to the question "what is the capacity of a prison?". Thus, in the closed institutions there are a number of cells intended for multiple-occupancy and the occasion can arise in this as in other countries, though up to now far less frequently here than in some other countries, where pressure on accommodation can lead to cells being occupied by more persons than they were intended to cater for. Another point that needs to be made is that, because of alterations either in structure or in the use of accommodation, the number of cells or rooms available for sleeping in may vary from time to time.
The following position obtained on 5 March 1979:
|
(a) |
(b) |
(c) |
(d) |
||
|
Place |
Total number of cells or cubicles |
Number in custody |
Number engaged in prison industries |
Number engaged in educational programmes |
|
|
Mountjoy |
Men |
452 |
433 |
335 |
70 |
|
Women |
23 |
22 |
17 |
17 |
|
|
Limerick |
Men |
89 |
115 |
86 |
40 |
|
Women |
13 |
9 |
8 |
3 |
|
|
Cork |
45 |
47 |
46 |
32 |
|
|
Arbour Hill |
101 |
86 |
85 |
26 |
|
|
Portlaoise |
189 |
180 |
38 |
95 |
|
|
Training Unit |
96 |
67 |
45 |
15 |
|
|
Shelton Abbey |
35 |
29 |
15 |
16 |
|
|
St Patrick's Institution |
219 |
162 |
142 |
81 |
|
|
Shanganagh Castle |
55 |
37 |
32 |
36 |
Notes;
Column (c)
These figures show the total numbers engaged in all categories of prison work and work training.
Column (c) and (d)
There is an overlap between the figures in these two columns as many offenders spend part of the day in the educational unit and the rest at their normal work.