Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 49: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding conditions in Mountjoy Prison; if and the way the problem of overcrowding at the prison has been alleviated since the summer since months of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6857/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy may be aware that on 1 September, 2006 I directed that Wheatfield Prison and the Midlands Prison operate as committal prisons for certain male adult prisoners sentenced by courts in designated counties. The effect is that Mountjoy's committal responsibility was reduced to Dublin City and County. Following this designation the number of new committals to Mountjoy has reduced significantly. In the period 1 September, 2006 to 20 February, 2007, thirty percent of the 927 new committals to these prisons were to Wheatfield and Midlands prisons as outlined in the following table.

The daily average number of prisoners in custody in Mountjoy Prison from 1 September, 2006 to date is 464 compared to a bed capacity of 480. This represents on average a 96% occupancy level. The refurbishment of the A2 and A3 landings of Mountjoy Prison is nearing completion which will provide an additional 50 single occupancy cells.

Nevertheless, I do accept that a number of our prisons are in a fairly poor state, particularly Mountjoy and Cork Prisons. This is being remedied by constructing new facilities in Dublin and Munster. The new facilities will, in addition, offer significant improvements in the areas of work training, education and medical services as well as providing predominantly single cell accommodation with in-cell sanitation facilities. These are major undertakings involving replacement of close to 40% of the entire prison estate.