Prisoner phone calls cost more than €500,000 since 2021

Bills were highest at the Midlands Prison where the combined two-year bill for telephone services came to over €115,000. File picture: Dan Linehan

THE Irish Prison Service has run up a €530,000 phone bill over the last two years so prisoners could keep in touch with friends and family.

The prison service said spending was particularly high in 2021 when it rose to €297,479 due to strict covid-19 restrictions on visitors. The total phone bill fell last year to €237,707, a drop of around 20% according to figures provided under FOI.