Prison Service

Tuesday, 26 May 2026

Questions (834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 844, 845, 863)

Barry Ward

Question:

834. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average annual cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39976/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

835. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average annual cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39977/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

836. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average annual cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39978/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

837. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average annual cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39979/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

838. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average annual cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39980/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

839. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison, broken down by category including the costs related to food, transport, staffing, education, utilities, accommodation and any other significant costing. [39981/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

844. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the prisoner to staff ratio within the Irish Prison Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39990/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

845. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the prisoner to staff ratio within the Irish Prison Service, broken down by prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39991/26]

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Barry Ward

Question:

863. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of people currently employed within the Irish prison service, broken down by role and by prison/ office location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40017/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration

I propose to take Questions Nos. 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 844, 845 and 863 together.

I am advised that the average cost of housing an inmate in an Irish prison cannot be broken down into the categories requested by the Deputy, as to collate and calculate that specific information would require a physical examination of records which would take an inordinate amount of time and resources.

However, I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the average annual cost of an available, staffed prison space during the calendar year is set out below for the last five years. The below figures include net expenditure incurred within the year (such as salaries, utilities/maintenance, ICT, prison services etc.) excluding capital expenditure on buildings, ICT and vehicle purchases. The main reasons for the increasing costs relates to increased variable costs, including higher prisoner numbers, higher capacity, higher payroll costs and inflation.

Year	Average Annual Cost of a Staffed Prison Space
2025	€103,334
2024	€99,072
2023	€88,523
2022	€84,067
2021	€80,335

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.

The total number of staff employed by the Irish Prison Service, as at 30 April 2026, is set out as below:

Period	Prison Personnel	Other Grades **	IPS Headquarters	Total

30 April 2026	3762.5	69.07	212.51	4044.08

** Doctors, Psychology Staff, Occupational Therapists, Chaplains.

The total number of prison based staff to total prison population ratio within the Irish Prison Service as of end of April 2026 is:

0.56 (staff) : 1 (prisoner).

I am informed that the Irish Prison Service continually monitors the staffing requirements of the organisation and recruitment or promotion campaigns are put in place as required.

Question No. 835 answered with Question No. 834.

Question No. 836 answered with Question No. 834.

Question No. 837 answered with Question No. 834.

Question No. 838 answered with Question No. 834.

Question No. 839 answered with Question No. 834.