Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the recent submission made by the Irish Human Rights Commission to the UN Human Rights Committee that overcrowding in prisons here amounted to inhumane treatment of inmates; his views on the description of the situation put forward by the commission; the steps he is taking to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40139/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that I am aware of the recent submission. Overcrowding in prisons is an international problem and is not unique to Ireland. The Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts into its custody and does not have the option of refusing committals. 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 330. This represents a 9% rise in the number in custody.

Since 1997, the Irish Prison Service has been engaged in an extensive programme of investment in prisons infrastructure. This has involved both the modernisation of the existing estate and the provision of extra prison spaces. There are contingency plans in place in all of our prisons to deal with peak population numbers. A new accommodation block for 123 prisoners recently opened at Castlerea Prison. Furthermore, current projects will also provide the potential for an additional 750 prison spaces during 2009 and 2010 by means of:

a new block in Portlaoise Prison which will have the potential to accommodate approximately 200 prisoners and has started to accommodate prisoners;

a new block in Wheatfield Prison which will also have the potential to accommodate approximately 200 prisoners and is due to open by the end of 2009;

opening the separation unit in Mountjoy Prison which will have the potential to accommodate 50 prisoners and is due to open by the end of this month;

a new wing at the Portlaoise/Midlands Prisons complex will have the potential to accommodate 300 prisoners. Work is due to commence in early 2010.

Despite this significant investment, it is quite clear that in some of our prisons we are operating in excess of our bed capacity at this time. In the longer term, the Government remains firmly committed to replacing the largely 19th Century prison buildings on the Mountjoy complex with modern prison accommodation at Thornton Hall. Building new prison facilities at Thornton Hall on a green field site will open up new opportunities for the development of structured regime activities that support rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners. In developing its design concept for Thornton Hall the Irish Prison Service sought and continues to seek to deliver a modern, operationally efficient and cost effective facility which will provide decent living conditions for prisoners with appropriate support programmes including the provision of modern facilities for prison staff.

The new facilities at Thornton Hall 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. They will take a number of years to complete but it is my intention that they will proceed as quickly as possible.