Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will outline his response to the recent report form the Inspector of Prisons, the Irish Prison Population - An examination of Duties and Obligations Owed to Prisoners, and particularly his recommendation of the introduction of a cap on inmate numbers in each jail to eliminate overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42993/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have been informed by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that he has circulated the report to the Governors of each institution and asked them to address any operational issues raised in the report regarding their specific prisons.

As regards overcrowding, the latest penal statistics published by the Council of Europe indicate that the level of overcrowding in countries such as the UK, France, Spain and Italy far exceeds the challenges currently facing our own prison system. In relation to the Inspector's recommendation on the capping of prisoner numbers in individual prisons, the Irish Prison Service could not comply with this at this point in time as it could not be achieved without releasing sizeable numbers of prisoners considered unsuitable for early release.

Ireland is not unique in having to manage an increasing prisoner population - a fact acknowledged by the Inspector of Prisons in his commentary on this issue. We have to modernise and further upgrade our prison capacity to address the question of overcrowding and to improve the prison regime. I would draw the Deputy's attention to the Government's commitment to providing resources to the Irish Prison Service so that an extensive programme of investment in prisons infrastructure could be undertaken which has involved both the modernisation of the existing estate and the provision of extra prison spaces. This significant programme of capital works includes the new prisons in Castlerea, the Midlands, Cloverhill, the Dóchas Centre and new accommodation in Limerick, Portlaoise, Castlerea and Wheatfield prisons and at the open centres in Shelton Abbey and Loughan House. Since 1997, in excess of 1930 new prison spaces have come on stream in the prison system.

In addition, Government capital investment will allow the Irish Prison Service to continue with its building programme. The Irish Prison Service plan to commence construction later this year on a new accommodation block in the Portlaoise/Midlands prisons complex which will have the potential to 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 Government recently approved the procurement of the first phase of the prison accommodation blocks and related support facilities for the prison campus at Thornton Hall. This work will proceed and will result in the provision of an initial 400 cells capable of accommodating up to 700 prisoners. Work has already started on the construction of the access road and the procurement process for the other aspects of the project are being advanced. The development of a new prison facility at Kilworth Co. Cork to serve the Munster region is a key element of the prisons modernisation programme. The new facilities at Kilworth will, when complete, allow for the decommissioning of the accommodation at Cork Prison and its replacement with new modern prison facilities. It is anticipated that the capacity of the new prison will be in the region of 450 and will also include accommodation and facilities for male and female prisoners.