Govt has 'no plan' to deal with prison overcrowding

The president of the Prison Officers Association is accusing the Government of having no plan to deal with overcrowding in jails.

At the group's annual conference in Killarney, Jim Mitchell said his members' safety is at risk because of overcrowding and officers are frequently injured during disturbances as a result.

He said the Prison Service has decided to increase the number of inmates in jails by 10%, claiming the buildings are capable of holding more prisoners.