Last 13 prisoners leave Spike as prison closes

CORK’S Fort Mitchel prison closed yesterday and the last 13 prisoners held there were transferred to Limerick Prison.

The Spike Island facility will remain closed while the dispute between prison officers and management continues. Justice Minister Michael McDowell has promised it will re-open.

Around 50 inmates, in their late teens and early 20s, were held in the prison prior to the first transfers starting two weeks ago. It has capacity for 102 and prison officers claim it was being run down even before the closure plan was publicly revealed last November.