Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I assume the Deputy is referring to the 2010 annual report of the Inspector of Prisons which I published on 30 May 2011. In his report the inspector states the Irish Prison Service and local management should be aware of what he regards as best practice and that he expects all prisons will comply with this by 1 July. He also states he appreciates that prisons in certain areas will not be able to comply with this in the short term. I welcome the inspector's report and believe the work he does is valuable. The report mentions, inter alia, the use of special cells, prisoners' complaints and the procedure to be followed following the deaths of people in custody. New procedures have been drawn up in respect of these issues. They will be supported by changes to the prison rules which I regard as being of particular benefit and importance. The appropriate amendments to the prison rules have been prepared in the Department of Justice and Equality and are being finalised in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. The inspector's report also refers to minimum standards for prison accommodation and the regimes and services that should be provided.

The Government is committed to the elimination of slopping out in prisons. The upgrading of more than 100 cells at Mountjoy Prison will be completed by the end of the summer. When taken with the completion of the construction projects mentioned previously, that will mean 80% of the prisons estate will have in-cell sanitation by mid-2012. Feasibility studies are taking place with regard to the further implementation of the programme of refurbishment. The number of people in prison does not allow all of the inspector's standards to be met in the short term.

The problem of prison overcrowding remains a challenging issue. On 22 June there were 4,433 prisoners in custody. The figure was 2,919 in 2000. Some 400 additional prisoner places will come on stream by mid-2012. The committee examining the Thornton Hall project is due to report by 1 July 2011 and I believe it will meet that timeframe.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

I am pursuing alternatives to custody. The Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill will require judges to consider imposing community service in any case where the appropriate sentence would otherwise be a custodial one of up to 12 months imprisonment. I have asked my officials to look at a scheme where suitable long-term prisoners might have the last period of their custodial sentence replaced by a form of community service.

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