Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The resolution approving the development of a prison on a portion of the site used as Cork Prison was passed by the Dáil and the Seanad on 18 June 2013. This Bill seeks to confirm the resolutions. Cork Prison dates from 1849 and was originally built as a garrison prison for the adjoining army barracks, now Collins Barracks. The conditions in the prison have been described as particularly poor and problems include overcrowding, an absence of in-cell sanitation and deteriorating buildings and services. The report of the Thornton Hall project review group in 2011 recommended that the prison be closed and replaced by a new prison at Kilworth. The report also notes that overcrowding in the prison system will not be solved solely by building more prisons and that further steps are required to reduce the prison population.

The prison population in Ireland has increased by 400% since 1970. The rate of imprisonment in Ireland is 96 per 100,000. Concern about the rate of increase has been expressed by the cross-party sub-committee on penal reform which in recent reports recommended the adoption of a decarceration strategy, a declared intention by the Government to reduce the prison population by one third over a ten year period. Consent for the proposed new development in Cork is being sought under Part 4 of the Prisons Act 2007, which sets out a special planning procedure for major developments that applies if the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence so directs. The 2007 Act provides an open and transparent mechanism for major developments under which an environmental impact assessment meeting EU standards must be prepared where the Oireachtas makes the decision to grant development consent.

The purpose of the new prison development is to replace the substandard prison accommodation in Cork and provide modern prison facilities designed around the principles of rehabilitation and resettlement. The new prison will provide approximately 275 spaces for prisoners based on double cell occupancy. The prison will have a peak accommodation capacity of 310 prisoners but that will be reached only in emergency circumstances. All the cells will be of a size acceptable to the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention for double occupancy and will have integrated toilets and showers. It is expected that the construction of the new prison will commence in October 2013 and will be completed in early 2016.

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