McDowell rejects FG claims about prison overcrowding

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has rejected Fine Gael claims about massive overcrowding at Cork Prison.

The opposition party says government figures show that 470 prisoners were freed from the facility last year before they had completed their sentences and before they were entitled to remission.

Local TD Jim O'Keefe is blaming the situation on overcrowding caused by the closure of Spike Island Prison by the Minister for Justice.

However, Mr McDowell said today that the comments were naive and ill-thought.

He said the Government had created 870 new prison places in the past 10 years, adding that 20% of prisoners were freed early under the Rainbow Coalition.