Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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189. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when works will commence for the new prison planned for Thornton Hall, given the record funding of €2.180 billion for An Garda Síochána, prisons, courts, cyber security and technology; the reason there has been such a significant delay for this development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64246/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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A record capital investment of €67.9 million is being provided to the Irish Prison Service in 2026 and this forms part of a total capital investment of €527 million for the period 2026 to 2030. €495 million is being provided for capital works to build 1,595 prison spaces by 2031.

This will be the largest ever building programme in the prison estate and will include a new prison on the site of the old Cork prison, a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, as well as additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy, Cloverhill, Portlaoise, Limerick and Dóchas. It will also fund planning and commencement of the construction of a new prison at the Thornton site in North County Dublin.

A master plan for the Thornton site will be developed in 2026, determining its future use as a combined site for use by the IPS, International Protection Accommodation Services and An Garda Síochána.