Harris promises 620 more prison beds over next five years to address overcrowding

Simon Harris will tell the POA conference he has identified four capital projects to be progressed over the next five years at Castlerea, Cloverhill, Midlands, and Mountjoy Prisons. File picture

Justice Minister Simon Harris will today tell prison officers of plans to start building four new capital prison projects over the next five years, creating space for an additional 620 inmates.

It comes amid claims of severe levels of overcrowding in prisons across the country. 

According to the Prison Officers Association (POA), a “pack ‘em, stack ‘em and rack ‘em” attitude by Government has been putting the lives and welfare of both inmates and prison officers at risk. 

POA president Tony Power will tell his organisation's annual conference in Galway that overcrowding has impacted on the safety of those within the system.

“It is a sad indictment on both the Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service [IPS] that we find ourselves in this situation today considering that over 200 years ago when Limerick Jail was constructed it was designed on the basis of single-cell accommodation," Mr Power will say.

“Let’s consider that. Over 200 years ago there was a more progressive outlook on penal reform than we have now 23 years into the 21st century. Prison numbers have increased year on year, from approximately 3,750 in April 2017 to over 4,400 in April 2023."

Mr Power will tell those gathered that overcrowding is providing "the perfect atmosphere for the bully to thrive" leading to pressure being put on vulnerable prisoners to traffic in contraband, including weapons and illegal drugs. 

"Serious violence is very often part of the scenario here and we prison officers pay the inevitable price,” Mr Power will tell those gathered

We once again have single cells doubled up, mattresses on floors, prisoner population going through the roof — and the only solution seems to be the purchase of bunk beds? 

"In the past the solution adopted by the Irish Prison Service to deal with overcrowding was to increase the capacity of prisons with the stroke of a pen, so nothing has changed. Acquiring bunk beds does not solve the problem, it merely hides it.”

Mr Power will also accuse Department of Justice officials of "standing with hands in pockets, ignoring the issue and hoping it will just go away"

Justice Minister Simon Harris. File Picture: Eddie O'Hare

In response, Mr Harris will tell the same conference he has identified four capital projects to be progressed over the next five years at Castlerea, Cloverhill, Midlands, and Mountjoy Prisons.

In Castlerea, it is proposed to develop 25 additional prisoner houses, each providing accommodation for four prisoners, potentially providing additional spaces for 100 prisoners.

In Cloverhill, the development of a new prison block for 110 cells in a “G Wing” located between the existing A and B wings has the potential to accommodate up to 190 additional prisoners, Mr Harris will say. 

A new 100 cell “F Wing” in the Midlands prison would also have the potential to accommodate up to 180 prisoners.

Lastly, Mr Harris will say the uninhabitable separation unit in Mountjoy is earmarked for demolition in 2023 and, in its place, a four-storey, 100-cell block which could accommodate 150 prisoners will be built.

Mr Harris will tell the conference the need for additional prison spaces has arisen because of significant population growth in recent years, together with increases in judicial resources and increasing numbers of gardaí.

Mr Harris will also say that while there is no silver bullet to fix this overnight, "that doesn’t mean we don’t start working on it now".

The Justice Minister will say the promised extra spaces are in addition to other penal reforms, including legislation requiring a judge to first consider non-custodial and community-based sanctions, improving community service, a review of the Community Support Scheme and the Community Return Programme, the implementation of recommendations of the High Level Task Force on Mental Health and Addiction, and a review of the Fines Act.