asked the Minister for Justice if it is his intention to continue the existing proposal to restrict the exercise area available to women prisoners in Limerick Prison; and if he will consider the return of the original exercise area to them.
Written Answers. - Limerick Prison Exercise Area.
442.
Limerick East): The number of women prisoners in Limerick seldom exceeds nine or ten. As the Deputy will remember, it was decided some months ago, with the Deputy's active support, to provide additional workshops and indoor recreational facilities for the men prisoners in Limerick. That could only be done by reducing the size of the space available to the women prisoners for outdoor recreation. The reduction was from approximately 9,880 square feet to approximately 6,196 square feet. There is no possibility, certainly in the short term, of any extra space becoming available for outdoor recreation in the prison.