Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021
317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which an adequate number of prison spaces remain available to meet the demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37101/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, prison governors are required by law to accept all prisoners into their custody who have been committed to prison by the Courts. Therefore, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.
I can also advise the Deputy that the prison system has always been subject to peaks and troughs. The number of persons in custody peaked in February 2011 at 4,621, before falling back to 3,525 in January 2015. However, since 2016, the number of persons in custody had been steadily increasing until March 2020 when this trend was ended with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of its response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in custodial settings, since March 2020 the Prison Service has been implementing measures to reduce the prison population, in order to ensure good infection control and to ensure that cells are available for the accommodation of any prisoner who may be required to isolate in accordance with guidance from the public health authorities.
In the first instance, the approach adopted included granting temporary release to low risk prisoners who were serving sentences of less than 12 months for non-violent offences. Subsequently, prisoners assessed as low risk who had less than 6 months to serve were also granted temporary release from some prisons.
In 2019, in response to increasing prisoner numbers, the Director General introduced a Prison Population Management Plan aimed at identifying the short, medium and long term actions required to address the rising prisoner numbers. As a result, approximately 135 additional beds were introduced. The current bed capacity of the prison estate is 4,375.
A further 96 prisoner spaces will come on stream in due course (subject to easing of restrictions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic) with the reopening of the Training Unit at Mountjoy as an older persons facility. In addition, the construction of a new male wing and standalone female prison is underway in Limerick Prison and will provide 90 additional male and 40 additional female spaces. It is subject to delays due to Covid-19 pandemic.
I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the number in custody on 6 July, 2021 was 3,866, representing a 88% occupancy rate.
