Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the extent of prison cell overcrowding at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43346/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that on 15 November, 2010, there were 4,416 prisoners in custody as compared to a bed capacity of 4,430. This represents in effect an occupancy level of 100%.

As the Deputy will appreciate 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 435. This represents a rise of over 11% in the numbers in custody.

Prison overcrowding is not unique to this jurisdiction, rather it is an international issue that has been widely acknowledged, including by the Inspector of Prisons.

The Irish Prison Service has been engaged in an 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 1,930 new prison spaces have come on stream in the prison system. These include the new prisons in Castlerea, the Midlands, Cloverhill, the Dóchas Centre and new accommodation in Limerick, Portlaoise, Castlerea and most recently Wheatfield prisons and at the open centres in Shelton Abbey and Loughan House.

The Irish Prison Service plans to commence construction later this year on a new accommodation block in the Portlaoise/Midlands prisons complex which will provide 300 prison spaces in the medium term. Work is also due to commence on converting an administrative building on the Dóchas site into a new accommodation block which will provide 70 spaces in the short term.

The Deputy will also be aware of the Government's commitment to developing a new prison campus at Thornton Hall, County Dublin. The new prison facility will provide accommodation for 1,400 prisoners with operational flexibility to accommodate up to 2,200 in a range of security settings.