Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps in hand to address the issue of the shortage of prison accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54804/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 4 December, 2012 there were 4,275 prisoners in custody against a bed capacity of 4,395 which represents an occupancy level of 97%. The average number of prisoners in custody in Ireland has risen in the last 5 years, from 3,321 during 2007 to 4,389 during 2011, an increase of over 32%. Likewise the total number of committals to prison has also risen sharply during the same period, from 11,934 in 2007 to 17,318 in 2011 – an increase of over 45%. There does appear, however, to be a stabilising or levelling off in the increase in prisoner numbers being committed annually with 2011 recording only a 0.8% increase on the previous year. This compares to increases of 13.6%, 13.8% and 11.4% respectively year on year for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

I published the Irish Prison Service 3 Year Strategic Plan in April this year. The Strategy also include a 40 month capital plan to provide in-cell sanitation in all cells and radically improve prison conditions. Significant investment has already taken place in our prison estate in recent years with in excess of 900 new prison spaces having been constructed and brought into use since 2007. A new 300 space prison wing in the Midlands Prison has been completed and is currently being opened on a phased basis. The first cohort of prisoners were accommodated in the new wing in November. In addition a new Unit in the Dóchas centre which provided an additional 20 spaces has now opened.

The Programme for Government outlines the commitment of this Government to finding alternatives to custody as a means of reducing overcrowding. In conjunction with the Probation Service, the Irish Prison Service has introduced an incentivised scheme for earned temporary release, the Community Return Programme, under which offenders who pose no threat to the community are offered early temporary release in return for supervised community service. The Deputy will also be aware that I have also established a working group to conduct a strategic review of penal policy which will also help address the future needs of the prison system.