Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
462. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the prisons and detention services in Ireland, reflecting in each instance the capacity, the number of persons detained, the number of staff assigned, the minimum number of staff on duty at any given time, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5163/26]
View answerThe Irish Prison Service (IPS) must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the IPS has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time. The information sought by the Deputy, detailing the prisons and places of detention, the capacity of each facility and the number of persons detained in each facility is published on the IPS website (www.irishprisons.ie). This information can be found in the Information Centre, under Statistics & Information.
On Wednesday, 21 January 2026, there were 5,752 people in prison custody with a total bed capacity of 4,718. Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, officials in the IPS make every effort to deal with this through the use of Temporary Release. Decisions in relation to temporary release are considered on a case by case basis and the safety of the public is paramount when those decisions are made.
Details on the number of staff assigned, the minimum number of staff on duty at any given time is not available in tabular form, as the allocation of staffing across the prison estate is based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison. The number of staff required is influenced by factors including, in particular, the numbers in custody, category of prisoner and regimes and a range of other factors, including the risks and needs associated with specific areas and particular offenders.
For security and operational reasons, the IPS is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the staff resources. However, I can confirm that the IPS continually monitors the staffing requirements of the organisation and recruitment or promotion campaigns are put in place as required.
The total number of staff employed by the Irish Prison Service, as at 31 December 2025, is set out as below:
|
Period |
Prison Officers & Recruit Prison Officers* |
Other Grades ** |
HQ |
Total |
|
31 December 2025 |
2530 |
1267.57 |
209.51 |
4007.08 |
** Governor Grades, Assistant Chief Officers, Work Training Officers, Chief Officers, Trade Officers, Tutors, Medical Staff, Psychology Staff, Chaplains, Prison Administrative.
In response to the current challenges related to prison capacity, I have secured a record capital investment of €527 million to IPS over the next 5 years, of which €495 million will be invested in building projects to further increase capacity. The target is to deliver over 1,500 new spaces by 2031.
This will be the largest ever building programme in the prison estate and will include a large extension to the existing Cork Prison, on the site of the old decommissioned Cork Prison, a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, and additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy, Cloverhill Portlaoise, Limerick and Dóchas.
