Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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252. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average percentage of bed capacity used in Irish prisons, by male and female in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26840/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, prison governors are required to accept into custody everyone committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.

In addition to the numbers committed by the courts, other factors can impact on the spaces available on any given day. This includes cells being unavailable for different reasons such as repairs and maintenance or where local management assess an individual as being unsuited to share a cell for reasons of vulnerability or propensity to violence and a cell designated as being operationally suitable for two people may, temporarily, house only one.

While increases in prisoner population result in challenges within certain committal prisons, the Irish Prison Service takes all possible steps to alleviate the situation through a combination of inter-prison transfers and other contingency measures.

Officials in the Irish Prison Service work closely with the Governors of affected prisons to alleviate capacity issues, by identifying prisoners who may be suitable for transfer to other prisons or prisoners who may be suitable for structured early release.

The Deputy will also be aware that new female wing of Limerick Prison which is expected to be in operation in July 2023 will provide 22 additional female cell spaces.

The attached table shows the average percentage of bed capacity used in Irish prisons in 2022.