Thomas Gould
Ceist:187. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on his plans for a new prison in the Glen in Cork. [6195/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 27 January 2026
Ceisteanna (187)
Freagraí scríofa
I am acutely aware of the capacity constraints in our prisons and the resulting challenges faced by those who work and live within them. This Government is pursuing a dual approach to address the issue of prison capacity, by increasing physical capacity and pursuing further measures to support non-custodial sanctions.
Over 440 prison spaces have been constructed since 2022 with the majority of these already in use within the Prison Estate. On conclusion of the NDP Review in July, there was a record capital investment of €67.9 million agreed for 2026, as part of a total investment of €527 million from 2026 to 2030.
€495 million is to be invested in infrastructural projects and in line with the Programme for Government, includes an overall target of delivering over 1,500 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, as well as a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, and additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy, Cloverhill, Portlaoise, Limerick and the Dóchas Centre. It will also fund planning and commencement of the construction of a new prison at the Thornton site in North County Dublin.
Planning for the Old Cork Prison project remains at a very early stage and engagement will take place with the local community in due course.