Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

It is regrettable the Minister refuses to accept the fact that the prison system is undergoing a crisis. The criminal justice system is being undermined by dint of the hundreds of offenders who are committed to prison by the courts to serve lengthy sentences only to be released after a short period. How does the Minister propose to deal with this issue?

Does he accept the findings of a recent interim report of the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention which found that prisoners were sleeping in the reception area of Mountjoy Prison, on dirty and soiled mattresses and on cell floors, in some cases without mattresses? The inspector pointed out that violence among prisoners was beginning to reflect gang related conflicts outside of prison and, in an understatement, noted that overcrowding has become excessive. However, the Minister claims there is no problem.

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