Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prison cell and spaces available throughout the prison service; the number of such spaces currently occupied, shared by one, two, three, four or more persons; the number and location of prison cell space unoccupied; if this was the situation at the time of his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 239 of 18 December 2008; if all prison spaces available are used for the purpose for which they were intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20900/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that as of 21 May, 2009 there were 3,641 permanent beds available in the prison system. On the same day there were 3,860 prisoners in custody. This represented an occupancy total of 106%. This is in contrast to the situation at the time of my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 239 where on 18 December, 2008 there were 3,611 permanent beds available in the prison system and there was a total of 3,656 prisoners in custody. This represented an occupancy total of 101%. On 21 May, 2009 there were 2,540 cells/spaces available to the Irish Prison Service and all these cells/spaces were used for the purpose for which they were intended. These do not include cells/spaces used for special observation purposes or other cells/spaces used for administrative purposes. The breakdown of the cells/spaces used on 21 May, 2009 is set out in the table below.

It has to be acknowledged that the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts and it does not have the option of refusing committals. On 21 May, 2009 there were bed vacancies in Loughan House (16) and Shelton Abbey (5), both open centres. It is the case that there has been a consistent increase in the total prisoner population over recent years. This situation is particularly apparent over the past 12 months during which time the total number in custody has increased by approximately 330. This represents an 9% rise in the number in custody. The provision of an extra 1,300 prison places in recent years has in some way addressed the issue of overcrowding which had become a chronic problem for the prison system.

It is clear that in some of our prisons we are operating in excess of our bed capacity at this time. In the short term, the issue of increasing bed capacity in our prisons will be addressed by the provision of an additional 400 prison spaces later this year. This additional accommodation is built and ready for commissioning and consists of:

• a new remand block in Castlerea Prison which will accommodate approximately 100 prisoners;

• a new block in Portlaoise Prison which will accommodate approximately 150 prisoners;

• a new block in Wheatfield Prison which will accommodate 150 prisoners.

Most recently over 30 extra spaces have been made available at the open centre at Shelton Abbey and a further 40 spaces have been made available at the open centre at Loughan House. It should also be borne in mind that our prisons have contingency plans in place whereby they can accommodate numbers above their ideal working capacity.

In relation to the recent decision to discontinue negotiations with the Leargas Consortium on the construction of the prison at Thornton Hall, I wish to reiterate that the Thornton project will go ahead but we simply must find a more affordable solution for the taxpayer and the taxpayer must get better value taking into account what is happening to prices in the construction industry. I can confirm that it is my intention to bring comprehensive new proposals to the Government in a matter of weeks on how we can proceed with building a new, modern, regime orientated prison complex at Thornton. I am confident that my revised plans will meet the twin objective of giving us modern accommodation and best protecting the taxpayers' interests.