Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 May 2024
229. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the plans to alleviate the crisis of prisoner overcrowding for prisoners and staff where there has been a substantial increase in the prison population in all prisons countrywide, and in view of the plans for Thornton Hall to be used for IPAS, which was originally intended as a site for a new prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23343/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.
Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, the Irish Prison Service make every effort to deal with this through a combination of inter-prison transfers and appropriate use of structured Temporary Release.
The criteria for participation in the Community Return and Community Support Schemes were reviewed last year and additional prisoners are now eligible for assessment for suitability to participate on these structured and supported schemes.
In this regard I can assure the Deputy that 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.
While focused on rehabilitation and reducing offending, we are continuing to invest in our prison estate, to ensure that it is modern, fit-for-purpose and has the capacity to accommodate those committed to prison by the courts.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has made significant capital funding available to the Irish Prison Service in order to enhance the existing prison infrastructure and to provide additional capacity.
In recent years, capacity across the prison estate has been increased by in excess of 200 new spaces through the reopening of the Training Unit in Mountjoy, the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick and the new standalone female prison in Limerick.
Plans have also been outlined for 4 capital projects at Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy prisons which can accommodate up to 670 prisoners.
I recently secured additional capital funding of €49.5m to commence the delivery of these very significant capital commitments to allow the Irish Prison Service to address current capacity issues within our prison system and ensure it is fit-for-purpose for a growing population in the years to come.
Preparatory work will commence this year on these 4 key projects as part of an accelerated capital construction programme.
The additional capital funding will also be used to advance short term projects currently being pursued by the Prison Service that are expected to deliver over 150 spaces this year.
I can assure the Deputy that I am also committed to looking at all potential options to meet current and future needs.
The Irish Prison Service retains a strong strategic interest in the Thornton Hall site for the possible future expansion of the prison estate. While retaining a proportion of the site for any future prison needs, the Department of Justice has made the Thornton Hall site at North County Dublin available to other agencies.
I am establishing a working group on future prison capacity to make recommendations on future developments, including at Thornton Hall.
In developing future solutions, the working group will review the previous plans to develop a prison at Thornton Hall and consider the part that this available site can play in meeting the future accommodation requirements of the prison system. It will also have regard to international best practice in effective sanctions and rehabilitative practice and effective alternatives to imprisonment.
