Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2025
123. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice the average daily prison population and the official bed capacity of each custodial institution for the months January to March 2025; the percentage occupancy for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21475/25]
View answerThe average daily prison population, official bed capacity of each capacity of each custodial institution for the months January to March 2025 and the percentage occupancy for each are published on a daily basis and are available on the Irish Prison Service website (www.irishprisons.ie). This information can be located in the Information Centre, under Statistics and Information – Daily Prisoner Population.
In recent years, in excess of 300 additional spaces have been added across our prisons, with 139 of these added in the last 12 months and 25 in the coming weeks. These spaces were added through the reopening of the Training Unit in Mountjoy as well as the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick Prison, the new standalone female prison in Limerick, and a range of other projects across the prison estate.
The current Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, has committed to increasing capacity of our prisons by 1,500. My Department is committed to achieving this, and work has already commenced to do so.
