Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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64. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the progression unit in Mountjoy Prison will reopen fully; if there are plans to open a similar facility elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36607/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to reassure the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service are committed to making the best use of all available prison capacity when managing accommodation across the estate.Sex offenders, both sentenced and remand, were previously accommodated at 4 locations – Midlands Prison, Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison and Mountjoy Training Unit. However with rising sex offender committals to prison, other options within the prison estate have been considered to accommodate this cohort of prisoner.

As of 31 May 2025, there were 800 sentenced prisoners in custody for sexual offences. This compares to 489 sentenced prisoners for the same date in 2022 which represents a 64% increase in this type of prisoner.

I can confirm that the process of accommodating sex offenders in the part of Mountjoy Prison (West) which was previously known as the Progression Unit commenced during March 2024. This area of Mountjoy Prison is self-sufficient in relation to recreation, education, work and training. There is no requirement for prisoners living here to interact or traverse to the main prison. For this reason, it was decided that this is a suitable location to accommodate sex offenders.

The Irish Prison Service advise that while there are some prisoners currently accommodated in Mountjoy Prison (West) serving their sentences for convictions other than sex offences some of these may be moved to alternative suitable accommodation within the prison estate, and others will remain to complete their sentences. For prisoners who transfer from this location, the Irish Prison Service is committed to making every effort to ensure that those transfers will not negatively impact on how their sentences are being managed.

I can confirm that there are currently no plans to open a similar facility elsewhere.