Inmates dined on luxury steaks, chocolate and lamb in one prison, audit finds

A prison in Ireland was buying fillet steaks, boneless legs of lamb, prosciutto, rib roasts and catering chocolate for prisoners to cook as part of their home economics classes, according to the 2019 Comptroller and Auditor General Public Services report. Picture: Stock image

While their fellow inmates in other jails were having to make do with the usual ingredients, one prison home economics class was given luxury items such as fillet steaks, boneless legs of lamb, prosciutto and 'expensive catering chocolate' to perfect their creations.

The 2019 Comptroller and Auditor General's Public Services report reveals details of the culinary outlay in just one prison which resulted in an investigation by the Irish Prison Service. 

The C&AG report has also revealed that prisoners are buying Xbox consoles and games from unapproved suppliers through the prison shop.

As part of the C&AG report, expenditure on catering and ancillary services in Irish prisons was examined. Meals in prisons are prepared by prison staff and prisoners.

As part of this, some prisoners are given food preparation classes, as well as being offered home economics classes through prison education centres.

The auditor general reviewed the food purchases that were charged to the prisoner education and training budget.

They found that there was evidence of luxury food being bought for home economic and cookery classes in one prison: "In that case, the products purchased included a quantity of luxury items [such as] fillet steaks, rib roasts, boneless leg of lamb, prosciutto and expensive catering chocolate."

The report said that the Governor of the prison has now commenced an investigation into why such foods were purchased.  

However, in most prisons, the food purchased for the home economics courses were similar to those used in the preparation of prison meals. 

"While there can be situations in which additional food items may be purchased from suppliers that are not on the approved products list, it is not Prison Service policy that high-value items should be used in any prison kitchens or classrooms," the report read.

The report also found that some items sold in the prison shops were not purchased from approved suppliers, including Xbox players [consoles] and games. 

However, the report said the Accounting Officer stated that the "Xbox players supplied met specifications determined by the prisons concerned and that the normal communications capability of the players was disabled". 

Sales prices for these products were agreed locally.

In 2019, the Irish Prison Service spent €8.2 million on food for its prisoner population. 

This represented a spending increase of just under 11% when compared to 2018, where €7.4 million was spent on food.