Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners in jails at the latest date for which figures are available; the number of occasions during the past five years on which the prison population has exceeded 4,000; the steps that are being taken to deal with prison overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5607/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised that on 3 February 2010, there were 4,160 prisoners in custody and that the first time the number of prisoners in custody exceeded 4,000 was in October 2009.

The Irish Prison Service has been proactively engaged in an ongoing extensive programme of investment in prisons infrastructure which has involved both the modernisation of the existing estate and the provision of extra prison spaces. Since 1997 in excess of 1,670 new prison spaces have been provided. In addition, current projects will see a further 250 spaces provided by means of a new block in Wheatfield Prison which will accommodate approximately 200 prisoners and the re-opening of the Separation Unit in Mountjoy which will provide an additional 50 spaces. This extensive prison building programme speaks for itself.

In addition, work is expected to commence this year on a new accommodation block in the Portlaoise /Midlands prison complex which will provide 300 prison spaces. In the longer term, the Government remains firmly committed to replacing the prisons on the Mountjoy complex with modern prison accommodation at Thornton.