Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)

I want to raise the issue of prison overcrowding, particularly in relation to Limerick Prison. The Office of the Inspector of Prisons’ report is damning. Limerick Prison and its women's wing have one of the worst levels of overcrowding in the prison estate. The official bed capacity was at 155% last year. Overcrowding is impacting on the physical, psychological and emotional safety of women who are living in rooms originally intended as single accommodation. Overcrowding is a result of the failure of criminal justice policy. It compromises the provision and effectiveness of rehabilitation. Deaths in prison are up by 50% in the last year. What action will the Government take to reduce the number of women in prison? What credible alternatives to custody will the Government bring forward for women to address this? We have had so many reports but little action.

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