Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives for their engagement, and for their honesty in putting the facts out there. They have invited us to one of the prisons. That is something we will look into. We would certainly like to engage with them on that and we will come back them. They might send us a formal invitation and the committee can look at that. Some mornings the evidence is quite challenging, as it was this morning. The figure of 300 people alone being sentenced in January 2023, since the courts opened, is quite a stark figure as we go forward. That presents enormous challenges to the Prison Service and the State. There are 140 vacancies in the Prison Service and some prisons are at 117% capacity so there are challenges, including 200 prisoners being on mattresses right now. These are sobering thoughts when it is still only 2 March 2023.

I thank the witnesses for their evidence and the committee for its engagement and dedication, as always. Members are running between about four committee meetings at this stage, including this one, so well done. I thank them for the juggling act and I appreciate their involvement. I also thank our team who are exceptional in the way they conduct their business.