Written Answers Nos. 854-873
861. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the performance indicators that are used to measure positive successes within the Irish Prison System; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40015/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Prison Service publishes an annual report which details progress made on a number of key performance indicators, including prison committals, work, training and education rates, and incidents of self-harm. You can access these reports here: www.irishprisons.ie/information-centre/publications/annual-reports/.
The performance of the Irish Prison Service is also governed through a formal multiannual Oversight Agreement and an annual Performance Delivery Agreement (PDA) between the Irish Prison Service and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. These agreements set out the resource inputs provided to the Irish Prison Service, the performance targets against which delivery is measured each year, and the governance mechanisms used to monitor progress. The Irish Prison Service Performance Delivery Agreement 2026 is near completion.
The Oversight Agreement and the annual PDA are published on the Department’s website and form part of the overall governance framework for the Irish Prison Service. Performance against these targets is monitored through quarterly governance meetings, regular reporting by the Irish Prison Service to the Department, and structured review processes to ensure accountability, transparency and continuous improvement in service delivery.
The PDA groups performance indicators under several broad themes. At a high level, the KPIs relate to:
- Safe and Secure Custody, including measures relating to security incidents, assaults, contraband detection, and compliance with operational protocols.
- Care and Rehabilitation, covering access to education, work and training, psychology and healthcare services, sentence management, and supports aimed at reducing reoffending.
- Human Rights and Dignity, including indicators on conditions, accommodation standards, access to services, and compliance with national and international human rights obligations.
- Organisational Capacity and Resources — such as staffing, training, digital transformation, capital projects, and financial management.
- Governance and Accountability — including reporting obligations, audit processes, and delivery of strategic commitments.
These indicators collectively measure progress in maintaining safe custody, improving rehabilitation outcomes, strengthening operational resilience, and ensuring that the Irish Prison Service meets its statutory and strategic obligations.
862. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the capacity of open prisons in the Irish prison system, by location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40016/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra864. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the capacity of each of the Irish prison centres, by location; how many are over capacity; the number of people that are detained in each facility, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40018/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 862 and 864 together.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) is required to accept into custody all persons committed by the Courts and the IPS has no role in determining the number of committals at any given time.
The information sought by the Deputy regarding prison capacity is collated daily by the Irish Prison Service Statistics Unit and published on its website (www.irishprisons.ie). This information can be found in the Information Centre under Statistics & Information, Daily Prisoner Population. including population change from 2015 to date: where changes in population can be viewed from 2015 to 2026 at www.irishprisons.ie/information-centre/statistics-information/2015-daily-prisoner-population.
As of 21 May 2026, the prison population stands at 124% of operational capacity. The information sought by the Deputy on the capacity of each of the Irish prison locations is set out in the below table. The two Open Prisons in the State - Shelton Abbey and Loughan House - are included in the below table.
Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, officials in the Irish Prison Service make every effort to manage this through the use of Temporary Release, where appropriate. Decisions on Temporary Release are made on a case-by-case basis, and the safety of the public is paramount.
I am acutely aware of the capacity constraints in our prisons and the challenges faced by those who work and live in our prisons as a result. I am pursuing a dual approach to address the issue of prison overcrowding by both increasing prison capacity and pursuing measures to support increased use of non-custodial sanctions.
Since 2024, 232 spaces have been constructed across the Prison Estate, with 126 delivered in 2024 and 106 in 2025. There are plans to build another 65 spaces in 2026. In addition, Government has allocated funding for a significant building programme across the prison estate. I have secured a record capital investment of €528 million for the Irish Prison Service (IPS) over the next 5 years, of which €495 million will be invested to deliver one of the most significant capital building programmes in the justice sector, with an overall target of delivering over 1,500 prison spaces by 2031.
865. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of incidents that have occurred in Irish prisons that have resulted in disciplinary action, per year since 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40019/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraA disciplinary system is in place under the Prisons Act 2007 which empowers Governors to deal with prisoners who have breached the Prison Rules and allows for the imposition of sanctions where a breach of the Rules has been proven to take place.
Such sanctions are normally in the form of loss of certain privileges, such as reduced phone calls, reduced visits, prohibition on the use of the gym, prohibition on use of the tuck shop etc, for defined periods of time. At the higher end of the scale, sanction can comprise a reduction in remission. The increase in numbers has been noted and is largely attributable to the increase in the prison population.
The Deputy also requested the number of incidents involving prison staff that resulted in disciplinary action. When necessary, the Irish Prison Service utilises the Civil Service Disciplinary Code (19 of 2026) to formally address incidents where concerns arise regarding staff behaviour. It is important to emphasise that the commencement of a process under the Code of Discipline is not in itself an indication of wrongdoing. It may be determined that no disciplinary action is required.
The information provided below is collated using information as reported by each prison Governor. The vast majority of cases where a sanction is invoked would relate to minor breaches of discipline, such as attendance-related issues.
866. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the statutory responsibility for individuals who are released from prison with no fixed abode, including whether responsibility rests with the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, or the relevant local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40026/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra867. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the person or body responsible for monitoring, supporting, and supervising individuals released from prison who are placed in private emergency accommodation, including whether responsibility rests with the property owner, the local authority, the Probation Service, or another State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40032/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra868. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the rehabilitation supports provided to individuals released from prison who are placed in private emergency accommodation; whether these supports are delivered by qualified professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40033/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra869. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a risk assessment is carried out prior to placing an ex-prisoner in emergency accommodation, including assessment of the individual's offending history, risks to the community, and proximity to schools, preschools, and facilities for vulnerable adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40034/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra870. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any categories of offence are considered too high risk for placement in multi-occupancy emergency accommodation; if so, to list those categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40035/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra871. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide details of reports of anti-social behaviour linked to emergency accommodation facilities in Knock, Balla, Crossmolina, Swinford or other locations in County Mayo where ex-prisoners have been housed; to outline the actions taken in response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40036/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra872. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the safeguarding measures in place to protect local communities, including children and vulnerable adults, when individuals with criminal convictions are placed in emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40037/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra873. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a breakdown for each of the past five years, including to date in 2026 of the number of prisoners released with no fixed abode; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40040/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 866 to 873, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will appreciate, measures to address homelessness and the provision of accommodation to persons vulnerable to homelessness are the responsibility of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The Irish Prison Service has advised it maintains regular contact with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and local authorities regarding the release of prisoners who have identified themselves to the Irish Prison Services as homeless or at risk of homelessness. I am advised that all releases are planned in order to help offenders to make informed and effective transitions from prison to the community.
I am further advised that local authorities maintain statistics regarding people accessing homeless services on the “PASS” system, and the Irish Prison Service does not have access to this information.
The IPS also does not have data on hand in relation to released prisoners who present to emergency homeless services on the day of their release. Again, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government would be best placed to provide that information.
I would point out that it is entirely at the discretion of the individual in custody whether or not they choose to disclose their homeless status to prison authorities throughout their sentence. When a sentenced prisoner informs prison authorities that they were homeless prior to coming into custody, or that they are at risk of homelessness on release, they are referred to the prison-based Resettlement Service.
The IPS provides funding to Tosú (formerly IASIO) who provide resettlement co-ordinators within Irish prisons. The co-ordinators work with individual prisoners and the relevant local authority to complete their social housing application and identify accommodation solutions ahead of their release into the community. They may also work with the individual in custody to submit social welfare and medical card applications to appropriate contact points. The Irish Prison Service advises that the application for social housing can be submitted months or days in advance of the release date, dependent on the timing of the prisoner’s voluntary declaration of homelessness, which influences opportunities for response.
The below table details the number of individuals that exited prison between 2022-2025 and who sought the assistance of the Resettlement Service prior to their release, completed an application for social housing and were released from prison to attend public housing appointments for emergency homeless accommodation.
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
1,068 |
1,709 |
317 |
306 |
Where prisoners are subject to post release supervision as part of their sentence, the IPS and Probation Service collaborate to formulate a pre-release plan and develop a release plan. These include actions and the provision of supports to address identified risks associated with reoffending and to support reintegration into the community and community safety.
Since 2014, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service have formally worked together on offender management issues. This includes managing the release of Complex Prisoners. Homelessness on release is a prevailing issue for the general prison population but there are particular challenges around the release of those who have committed violent or sexual offences. A Working Group was established to consider their housing needs and standard operating procedures have been developed. The issue of Complex Prisoner releases continues to be a topic which is being considered at the most senior levels of the Offender Management structures.
I am also fully committed to the principle that everyone, wherever they live in Ireland, should feel safe and be safe. Building safe and secure communities across the country by investing in An Garda Síochána is a top priority for this Government. Anti-social behaviour is a broad term often used to describe a range of actions and behaviours that violate social norms in specific contexts, and I am conscious of the very damaging impact it can have in our communities.
With regard to the Deputy’s reference to reports of anti-social behaviour in Knock, Balla, Crossmolina, Swinford or other locations in County Mayo, any such incidences should be reported to an Garda Síochána, who will respond appropriately. A number of actions are contained in the Programme for Government to reduce instances of anti-social behaviour and help people to be safe and feel safe in their local communities, including a commitment to enact legislation to combat anti-social behaviour, including enhancing the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Warnings (ASBWs) and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). Work to progress these commitments has commenced.
