Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

Our population has risen significantly over the past 20 years but our prison capacity has not risen on a corresponding basis. There is a requirement to ensure that we have more prison spaces. This does not mean that I or the Government believe the solution to all antisocial or criminal behaviour is incarceration. We recognise, however, that prisons need a greater number of spaces because of the increased level of detection, the increase in the population and the increase in the type of criminal activities the Houses of the Oireachtas have designated as criminal acts.

Since 2022, capacity across the prison estate has been increased by 380 new spaces. The target is to deliver 1,595 individual prison spaces by 2031. A record capital investment of €495 million is being provided to the Irish Prison Service over the next five years which will provide for the largest investment in the prison estate in the history of the State. This includes a new prison on the site of the old Cork prison, a new block in Wheatfield, both of which I visited, an additional block extension at the Midlands Prison, which I hope to visit soon, and additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy and Dóchas.

It is important to point out that a new mental health therapeutic centre is also planned for Mountjoy. I thank the Minister for Health for her co-operation in that respect.

In consultation with the Minister for Finance, I secured an exemption under the infrastructure guidelines to allow for the delivery of 960 new places to be accelerated. This is expected to speed up delivery timelines by 12 to 18 months. The Prison Service has a very good record when it comes to building on time and on budget. The estate section of the Irish Prison Service is very good.

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