Prisoners forced to sleep on floors due to lack of space

Hundreds of prisoners are being forced to sleep on the floor of jails because of accommodation shortages.

New figures from the Irish Times show 572 people - 404 men and 168 women - had to sleep on mattresses on the floor at Limerick prison in July.

The number was 674 at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise and 119 in Cork.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust says the scale of the problem is "unacceptable" and a clear breach of human rights.

- Digital Desk