James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Again, I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I note what she said in her responding remarks. As the Senator is well aware, sentencing practice and sentencing per se is a matter for the courts and the trial judge as opposed to any politician or government. The Prison Service is thereby obliged to accept into custody anybody who is sentenced. That is wholly a matter for the courts to decide. It is a fact that Ireland's population continues to grow. The Minister wants to assure the Senator that Government remains committed to increasing the capacity of our prisons, although I accept the Senator suggests that perhaps alternative sanctions or reducing the number of people in custody in the first place may be the preferred solution. The Minister is committed to increasing capacity, however, which will alleviate overcrowding at the very least. Perhaps there is agreement on that between the sides in any event. That is more than just about increasing prison capacity. It is about providing a safe and secure custody environment for all people committed to prison while also ensuring a safe working environment for the staff. That point is important.

The programme for Government does contain a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society, and a specific commitment to review policy options in the area of prison and penal reform. The Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 was published in August 2022. Work is ongoing on the priority actions of that review, including increasing the use of alternatives to custodial sanctions where they are available. In addition, implementation of the recommendations made by the high-level task force on the mental health and addiction challenges of those interacting with the criminal justice system are being progressed. Indeed, the first annual progress report on the implementation of that task force's recommendations was published earlier this year, and it does show concerted work across the Department of Justice and Department of Health as well as multiple agencies. Senator Ruane, through her work, brings her best and engages with those initiatives. I know she is well aware of those activities.