Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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2008. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the reported plans to move 200 prisoners to Mountjoy west in the very near future (details supplied) and the violation of basic human rights that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41993/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The process of accommodating prisoners 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 located on the west side of the prison and 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, both sentenced and remand, who were previously accommodated at four separate locations – Midlands Prison, Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison and Mountjoy Training Unit. However, with rising committals to prison, it was decided to consider other options within the prison estate to accommodate this cohort of prisoner and the accommodation at Mountjoy Prison (west) was identified.

As of 25 July 2025, there are 265 cells in Mountjoy Prison (West) accommodating 258 prisoners, with the remaining cells allocated for people newly committals with convictions relating to sexual offences. Of the 258 people accommodated here, 213 are serving sentences for sex offences.

Prisoners currently accommodated in Mountjoy Prison (West) and serving their sentences for convictions other than sex offences will either remain there or be moved to alternative suitable accommodation within the prison estate. I am informed that the IPS are making every effort to ensure that the transfers of prisoners from Mountjoy Prison (West) will not negatively impact on them in terms of how their sentences are being managed. There are currently no plans to open a similar facility elsewhere.

The Government is acutely aware of the capacity restraints in our prisons, and the resulting challenges faced by those who work and live in our prisons. I would stress however that the Irish Prison Service must accommodate everyone committed to prison by the Courts and has no control over numbers committed. Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, the IPS makes every effort to deal with this through a combination of inter-prison transfers and appropriate use of structured temporary release for suitable prisoners.

Since 2022, capacity across the prison estate has been increased by 377 new spaces, with 126 delivered in 2024, 40 delivered to date in 2025 with plans to deliver a further 101 additional spaces this year.

In line with Programme for Government commitments to deliver 1500 additional prison spaces, €495m additional Capital funding under the National Development Plan is being allocated to the Irish Prison Service from 2026-2030 with projects planned at Castlerea, Cloverhill, Mountjoy, Portlaoise, Wheatfield, Midlands, Dóchas and the Old Cork prison site. The capital allocation will provide for work to commence on the development of a new prison at Thornton in North County Dublin.