asked the Minister for Justice in relation to Mountjoy prison, Dublin 9 (a) the average daily number of prisoners for each month of 1987 to date; (b) the number of non-cell areas used to house prisoners overnight; and (c) the number of prisoners forced to occupy bedding on the floor within the prison.
Written Answers. - Prison Accommodation.
67.
The daily average number of prisoners for each month of 1987 to date was:
|
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
|
January |
557 |
48 |
605 |
|
February |
566 |
46 |
612 |
|
March |
566 |
44 |
610 |
|
April |
572 |
47 |
619 |
|
May |
570 |
40 |
610 |
Depending on accommodation requirements, the TV room in the B Base as well as secure areas leading from the landings are used at Mountjoy (male) prison to provide non-cellular overnight accommodation.
From time to time it is necessary at Mountjoy (male) prison to have offenders — generally new commitals — occupy bedding on the floor but precise records are not available relating to this practice. However, it is resorted to the minimum extent possible and an indication of this can be gleaned from the fact that since about the start of last month there have been 571 bed-spaces at the prison as against the daily average population for the month of 570. The Deputy will appreciate that one of the factors at play is the unpredictability of the number of committals to be accommodated and that, each day, the cases of new committals are reviewed with a view to providing accommodation in the "mainstream", either in Mountjoy itself or in another institution.