Three out of four inmates have drug problems

Three out of every four prisoners has a drug problem; one in seven are on methadone treatment; 30 are “psychotic” and waiting to be transferred to psychiatric hospitals at any time; and dozens would immediately become homeless if they were released.

Irish prison service officials revealed the scale of the difficulties facing the system as they confirmed that almost 500 prison officers have been seriously assaulted since 2012.

Speaking at the latest meeting of the Dáil public accounts committee, Irish prison service director general, Michael Donnellan, said the service is under-going a series of reforms which have been pushed through in recent years.