Figures reveal prison overcrowding

THE extent of overcrowding in our prisons is highlighted by figures showing almost 400 inmates are sharing cells with at least three other people.

A further 40 prisoners are in cells of five or more people following an increase of more than 10% in the numbers of people in custody over the past 12 months.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern admitted the number of prisoners exceeds capacity, despite significant investment by the Government. “It is quite clear that in some of our prisons, we are operating in excess of our bed capacity at this time,” he said in a written response to a Dáil question.