Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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616. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which adequate or sufficient prison spaces are available to meet requirements at the present time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19589/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the overall bed capacity of the Irish Prison System is 4,175. On 29th April 2014 there were 4,031 prisoners in custody. This represents 97% occupancy.

I wish to inform the Deputy that at the end of January 2014, there were 3,172 usable cells in the prison system. 1,854 prisoners were accommodated in single cells which accounted for 47% of all prisoners (3,973). In addition, there were 809 cells which accommodated 2 prisoners, 121 cells which accommodated 3 prisoners and 36 cells which accommodated 4 or more prisoners. 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. The Deputy will appreciate that my officials are concentrating on aligning our prisoner population numbers with the Inspector of Prisons' recommendations in those prisons with the highest levels of over-crowding, namely Cork Prison, Limerick Prison and the Dochas Centre.

In addition, a 40 month capital programme is being implemented to eliminate slopping out and to improve prison conditions in the older part of the prison estate. I am advised by my officials that work is continuing on the modernisation project at Mountjoy prison. "D" Wing is the last wing requiring refurbishment and on the completion of this, all cells in Mountjoy prison will have in cell sanitation facilities. The contract is due to issue in the near future and this will complete slopping out in Mountjoy Prison in 2015. Planning is continuing in respect of the refurbishment and modernisation of "D" Wing workshops.

Refurbishment of the Mountjoy B and C wings was completed in 2012. "A" wing commenced in early January 2013 and was occupied early this year. In relation to Cork Prison, the contract was awarded late last year and construction began in January, 2014 with a completion date on the third quarter of 2015. The Business Case for the Limerick Prison project was submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure Reform in June of last year and approval has been received to advance the project to detail design stage. A number of enabling project works have commenced and the main tender documents are due to issue in the latter part of 2014. When the Limerick project is completed there will be additional spaces available to the female prisoner population there also.