Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will appreciate we are in very challenging circumstances at the moment and the Irish Prison Service is doing everything it can to manage the prison population in a fair and equitable manner that continues to support the rehabilitation of those in custody. To ensure we have the capacity needed to provide that safe and secure custody, we have modernised the Mountjoy complex, constructed a new prison in Cork and provided additional prisoner accommodation in Midlands Prison.

Capacity across the prison estate has been increased by in excess of 200 new spaces in recent years through the reopening of the training unit in Mountjoy, the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick and the new stand-alone female prison in Limerick.

However, beyond the additional funding recently secured for capital builds, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is also committed to looking at all potential options to meet the current and future needs of the Prison Service. The Minister is establishing a new review group to make recommendations on other future developments, including at Thornton Hall.

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