Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 855: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prison spaces lost through prison closure or otherwise in the past six years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27633/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that prison spaces have actually increased in the past six years. On 4 July 2002 there was a prison bed capacity of 3,474. This has now been increased to a bed capacity of 3,611. The decision to close locations such as the Curragh, Fort Mitchel and Shangannagh, which had a total capacity of 264 places, was made for operational and financial reasons. Any potential loss in capacity has been more than offset by the bringing into operation of previously unused prison spaces and improvements to the prison estate. In particular, the opening of a new wing in Limerick Prison fully offset the loss of Fort Mitchel and the lost capacity in the case of the Curragh Place of Detention was greatly offset by the bringing into operation of previously unused spaces in the Midlands Prison.

The ambitious prison capital programme now underway, with the full support of the Government, will result in the replacement and/or refurbishment of nearly 40% of the entire prison estate and the ending of 'slopping out'. The proposed new prison complex at Thornton Hall which will replace the outdated Mountjoy complex will provide accommodation for 1,400 prisoners in a range of security settings with all the support facilities to enhance regime activities for prisoners and provide modern facilities as are fitting a modern prison environment. Other major works include the building of a new prison at Kilworth to serve the Munster region and the provision of additional accommodation at Shelton Abbey, Loughan House, Limerick, Wheatfield, Portlaoise and Castlerea.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 856: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prison cells currently accommodating more then one prisoner; the total number of prisoners to a cell; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27634/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

Where possible, it is the aim of the Prison Service to provide single cell occupancy for all sentenced prisoners. Exceptions are made for some prisoners who actually seek to double-up. Prisoners may ask to share a cell with a friend or relative in custody and such requests are facilitated where possible. Doubling up may also occur from time to time to meet concerns about the physical/mental health of a prisoner.

It is anticipated that the new prison buildings at Castlerea, Portlaoise and Wheatfield Prisons, as well as Thornton Hall and Kilworth will allow for increased single cell usage. The construction of new facilities will address the issue of cell occupancy levels and will, in addition, offer significant improvements in the areas of work training, education, medical services and in-cell sanitation.

It must be noted, however, that accommodating prisoners is not simply a matter of matching the global prisoner population to a global figure for beds or cells. A number of factors have to be taken into account including the prisoner's age, gender, the nature of the offence, location, security and whether they are on remand or sentenced.