Prison

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

Government playing catch-up in bid to ease prison overcrowding
Government playing catch-up in bid to ease prison overcrowding
Ireland’s prisons are at 120% capacity, prompting a €495m plan for 1,500 new spaces and a revived Thornton Hall project

Mon, 11 Aug, 2025

Prisoner died day before his scheduled transfer to psychiatric unit, report says
Prisoner died day before his scheduled transfer to psychiatric unit, report says
A psychiatrist told the investigation team that 'accessing treatment in a community-based psychiatric facility is extremely challenging'

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Peep Hole in the door to a Prison Cell
Nearly 400 inmates at large in the last decade never returned to prison
Some 4,178 inmates were recorded as unlawfully at large between 2015 and 2024, of which 3,815 were returned to custody

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Crime by offenders on bail rises 20% as prison overcrowding hits crisis levels
Crime by offenders on bail rises 20% as prison overcrowding hits crisis levels
Crime committed on bail has jumped 20% since 2022 — but overcrowded prisons are releasing offenders back onto streets

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Man jailed for spitting on garda walks free due to Cork Prison overcrowding
Man jailed for spitting on garda walks free due to Cork Prison overcrowding
Despite being sentenced for assaulting a garda, a man was turned away from Cork Prison due to overcrowding crisis

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Department mistakenly paid over €600k in welfare to prisoners in last two years
Department mistakenly paid over €600k in welfare to prisoners in last two years
Most payments were stopped quickly and might only continue to be made for a very short period of time

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Inspector of prisons backs findings of jail report by European watchdog
Inspector of prisons backs findings of jail report by European watchdog
Government urged to to increase alternatives to custody and bail projects

Fri, 25 Jul, 2025

Man in prison hands of behind hold Steel cage jail bars. offender criminal locked in jail.
Prisons turned into 'human warehouses' by chronic overcrowding — Council of Europe inspectors
Overcrowding, violence — and a mentally-ill female prisoner who 'had not had access to a shower for four days' — among issues raised by the Council of Europe Committee on the Prevention of Torture 

Thu, 24 Jul, 2025

National Development Plan allocates almost €4bn for defence and justice capital spends
National Development Plan allocates almost €4bn for defence and justice capital spends
The Government has committed to implement the second of three levels of investment (LOA2), centred on increasing the annual defence budget from €1.1bn in 2022 to €1.5bn in 2028

Tue, 22 Jul, 2025

Prisoner XL
Prison service pleaded with Government to delay court cases to address chronic overcrowding
Irish Prison Service said a new policy on bail was needed urgently to ensure people awaiting trial for 'non-serious offences' were not sent to jail

Tue, 22 Jul, 2025

Man in prison hands of behind hold Steel cage jail bars. offender criminal locked in jail.
Irish prisons entering  'unthinkable territory' as overcrowding hits 'crisis' level 
Warning from Prison Officers Association comes as Ireland now has 860 more inmates than its prisons can hold

Mon, 21 Jul, 2025

Number of sex offenders in Irish jails up 16% amid ‘epidemic of violence against women’
Number of sex offenders in Irish jails up 16% amid ‘epidemic of violence against women’
MEP calls for suite of reforms including a review of sentencing for such crimes, and advanced training for circuit and district court judges

Mon, 14 Jul, 2025

Prison systems 'likely to reach breaking point' as overcrowding gets worse
Prison systems 'likely to reach breaking point' as overcrowding gets worse
Even if the commitment in the 2025 Programme for Government is fully met, the recommended capacity of Irish prisons would be less than current inmate numbers

Mon, 07 Jul, 2025

Inside Alcatraz Prison - Row of Bars and Cells
Cork crime: Addiction, poverty, and trauma driving women into prison
More women are being jailed for theft, addiction, and trauma-linked crimes, while overcrowded jails hinder real rehabilitation, writes Ann Murphy

Mon, 30 Jun, 2025

Cahirmee horse fair
Striking disparity in jail sentences between Cork City’s northside and southside
New Irish Examiner analysis reveals significant sentencing disparities between Cork’s northside and southside, raising questions over justice and inequality

Tue, 24 Jun, 2025

Inside Alcatraz Prison - Row of Bars and Cells
Cork crime: Men jailed for twice as long as women, court data over five years reveals
New analysis of Cork court data reveals stark differences in jail terms by gender, offence type, and addiction impact

Tue, 24 Jun, 2025

Former Cork prison could become new 300-bed facility under plan to tackle overcrowding
Former Cork prison could become new 300-bed facility under plan to tackle overcrowding
MicheĂĄl Martin says the former Cork prison site may be the only viable option to address urgent overcrowding

Sun, 08 Jun, 2025

Official Opening of the Central Mental Hospital, Portrane
'Serious concerns' after 17 areas of non-compliance found at Central Mental Hospital
The Inspector of Mental Health Services, Professor James Lucey, said 10 of 17 areas of non-compliance were reoccurring

Wed, 04 Jun, 2025

Justice minister to accelerate building of nearly 1,000 prison spaces across the country
Justice minister to accelerate building of nearly 1,000 prison spaces across the country
Jim O'Callaghan will inform government that the prison estate as a whole is currently operating at 115% over capacity

Wed, 04 Jun, 2025

New Orleans Inmates Escape
Three more of 10 escapees from New Orleans jail captured, leaving two on run
Three more of the 10 inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail earlier this month have been re-arrested in two different states after more than a week on the run, authorities have said.

Tue, 27 May, 2025

Man in prison hands of behind hold Steel cage jail bars. offender criminal locked in jail.
‘Ireland an outlier’ for serving life sentences on children, expert says 
Nessa Lynch said  Ireland’s law in the area is unclear and it should be resolved through legislation

Mon, 19 May, 2025

New-Orleans-Inmates-Escape
Ten escape from New Orleans jail through hole in cell wall
Seven of the escapees, including suspects charged with murder, remain on the lam following the breakout that the local sheriff says may have been aided by members within the department.

Sat, 17 May, 2025

Inmate who died violently in prison had to be identified by his fingerprints, inquest hears
Inmate who died violently in prison had to be identified by his fingerprints, inquest hears
It is understood three prisoners were in the two-man cell at the time of the fatal incident. One of the other occupants of the cell also sustained injuries during the incident and required treatment

Thu, 08 May, 2025

Prison officers share fears drones will smuggle guns into jails
Prison officers share fears drones will smuggle guns into jails
Deputy general secretary Gabriel Keaveny said the average value of consignments in a drone drop is between €50,000-€60,000 inside prisons

Thu, 01 May, 2025

Cabinet must release funding to tackle prison overcrowding within '12 to 18 months', minister warns
Cabinet must release funding to tackle prison overcrowding within '12 to 18 months', minister warns
Prison Officers' Association  president Tony Power told the annual conference in Galway that the 'revolving door' is back in prisons

Thu, 01 May, 2025

Overcrowding will cause 'tragedy', prison officers warn
Overcrowding will cause 'tragedy', prison officers warn
The Programme for Government commits to 1,500 new prison spaces over the five years of the coalition

Thu, 01 May, 2025

Prisoner XL
'We could be heading towards 6,000' inmates in Irish prisons after Easter court break
The Prison Officers’ Association has regularly raised the looming overcrowding crisis, telling the 'Irish Examiner' in March 2024 that it was a 'ticking timebomb'

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

Worsening prison overcrowding poses 'very high-risk' situation for staff and inmates
Worsening prison overcrowding poses 'very high-risk' situation for staff and inmates
It is understood that contingency plans have been drawn up in prisons for scenarios where control is lost in a jail or part of one

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

The Glen 'does not deserve another prison': TDs oppose using old Cork prison site as jail extension
The Glen 'does not deserve another prison': TDs oppose using old Cork prison site as jail extension
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) also said the old prison building is in a poor physical state and unsuitable for use in its current form

Thu, 10 Apr, 2025

Cork Prison ‘overcrowded’ every day for the last two years
Cork Prison ‘overcrowded’ every day for the last two years
Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said the Irish Prison Service (IPS) must accept all people committed by the courts and has no control over those numbers

Mon, 24 Mar, 2025

Short-sighted attitude to prison overcrowding reflects our country's political cowardice
S Short-sighted attitude to prison overcrowding reflects our country's political cowardice
There is an illusion in some sections of society that prison can be a bit of a holiday camp. This is completely at odds with the reality of living conditions, writes Mick Clifford 

Mon, 24 Mar, 2025

Cork Prison's pop-up restaurant offers inmates 'a second chance'
Cork Prison's pop-up restaurant offers inmates 'a second chance'
Inmates offered a job after completing the eight-week culinary skills 'confidence-building' programme don't always remain in the hospitality sector, says chef JJ Healy

Tue, 11 Mar, 2025

MOUNTJOY PRISON
Rise in number of women giving birth behind bars last year, says report
In 2023, the construction of a new prison facility to provide accommodation for 56 female prisoners in Limerick Prison was completed

Mon, 10 Mar, 2025

3/8/2006 Mountjoy Prison
Prison service told to ensure ‘do not resuscitate’ decisions reflect 'consent' of prisoners
Instruction follows investigation into the circumstances of the death of a prisoner in January 2023

Sun, 09 Mar, 2025

Nathan McDonnell 'looking forward to co-operating' and getting out of prison as soon as possible
Nathan McDonnell 'looking forward to co-operating' and getting out of prison as soon as possible
One prison source said that it was widely known that McDonnell was under threat by some factions of the Kinahan cartel in prison prior to the attack and was astounded that it was possible

Fri, 07 Mar, 2025

Oberstown Campus
OPW to demolish buildings in juvenile detention centre after asbestos discovered
Carcinogenic material found in multiple locations in two disused housing units in Oberstown centre

Thu, 27 Feb, 2025

The Mick Clifford Podcast: Is it time to find an alternative to prison?
The Mick Clifford Podcast: Is it time to find an alternative to prison?
Irish Penal Reform Trust executive director Saoirse Brady is this week’s guest on the podcast

 Listen | Thu, 13 Feb, 2025

 Listen |
Rising tensions: Prisoner 'disorder' cases surge 25% in two years
Rising tensions: Prisoner 'disorder' cases surge 25% in two years
The rise in disorder comes after a prison officer in Mountjoy was slashed across the face by a prisoner on February 1

Thu, 13 Feb, 2025

'The idea that people are having a great time in prison is a bit of a fallacy'
'The idea that people are having a great time in prison is a bit of a fallacy'
Governor of Shelton Abbey open prison says its focus is to rehabilitate inmates and help them prepare to re-enter society, not punish them

Mon, 10 Feb, 2025

Coronavirus - Fri May 15, 2020
Prison officer treated in hospital after assault in Mountjoy
The prison officer was treated at the city’s Mater Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries

Sun, 02 Feb, 2025

Three inmates overdose on synthetic drug in Cork Prison
Three inmates overdose on synthetic drug in Cork Prison
There were two mass casualty overdoses at the Midlands Prison last September linked to spice — one involving 11 inmates and the second involving seven

Tue, 28 Jan, 2025

Man in prison hands of behind hold Steel cage jail bars. offender criminal locked in jail.
Prisoners serving short sentences 'often have highest rates of reoffending'
The Irish Penal Reform Trust has called on the incoming Government to examine the use of community sanctions over short jail stays 

Mon, 06 Jan, 2025

The Mick Clifford Podcast: The man with more than 500 convictions
The Mick Clifford Podcast: The man with more than 500 convictions
The issue of whether prison does what it was designed to do has been popping up regularly in recent years. Does it work? Does it provide rehabilitation?

 Listen | Sun, 05 Jan, 2025

 Listen |
More than 1,000 inmates on bunks or mattresses in overcrowded prison cells
More than 1,000 inmates on bunks or mattresses in overcrowded prison cells
A 40% increase in injury cases from prison officers in the last two years has been attributed to overcrowding and drug smuggling

Mon, 23 Dec, 2024

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