Prison officer shortages impacts inmate education programmes

The worst impacted prison so far this year has been Castlerea Prison in Co Roscommon, where there have been 37 full day closures.

A lack of prison staffing and overcrowding has been blamed for inmates in prisons across the country being unable to access education on 74 days up to the end of August.

The figures were released by the Department of Justice to Green Party TD Patrick Costello.