Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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52. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of people currently incarcerated in Mountjoy Prison; the level to which the prison is considered over capacity; the work undertaken by the Prison Overcrowding Response Group to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37290/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts and as such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the capacity and number of persons in custody in Mountjoy Prison is contained in the table below.

I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has confirmed that statistics available regarding prisoners are collated by the Irish Prison Service Statistics Unit and published on its website (www.irishprisons.ie). This information can be found in the Information Centre under Statistics & Information, Daily Prisoner Population.

Prisoner Population on Tuesday 24th September 2024

The Prison Service is working closely with officials in my Department to take steps to ensure a safe working environment for staff, and the safety and security of people in custody.

They are also working to identify short, medium, and long-term proposals to manage capacity issues in our prisons as they arise.

Government has made significant capital funding available to the Irish Prison Service to enhance the existing prison infrastructure and provide additional capacity.

Capital funding of €159m has been allocated for the years 2024 to 2026, which includes an increase of €49.5m in the most recent NDP allocations to assist towards bringing on stream accommodation for over 1,100 people between 2024 and 2030.

Short term projects are being progressed which are expected to deliver accommodation for over 150 people in 2024. The Prison Service are also engaged with the Defence Forces to assess the feasibility of bringing the Curragh Military Prison into use.

In recent years, capacity across the prison estate has been increased by more than 200 additional spaces through the reopening of the Training Unit in Mountjoy, the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick and the new standalone female prison in Limerick.

In July 2023, a Prison Overcrowding Response Group was established, composed of officials from the Department of Justice and representatives from relevant agencies, to consider measures to address capacity issues in the prison estate. A number of measures suggested by the group are being implemented.

In addition, and to further consider future prison capacity needs, I have established a new Working Group which will make recommendations on the numbers and types of prison capacity needed out to 2035. This Group will also make recommendations on the future use of the site at Thornton Hall.