Mountjoy grappling with an 'overcrowding crisis', says governor

Mountjoy governor David Treacy said the crisis is replicated across the prison system. Picture: Moya Nolan

The governor of Mountjoy Prison has said he is grappling with an “overcrowding crisis”, with 922 inmates in a prison with maximum official capacity for 755 people.

David Tracey said the crisis is replicated across the prison system, with Limerick's male and female prisons, Cork Prison, and Dóchas Women’s Prison also severely overcrowded.

To cram prisoners in, Mr Tracey said they have installed 114 bunk beds into small single cells and squeezed a further 82 mattresses onto floors of other single cells.

All the single cells have an open toilet.

“A prison should be 90% capacity to give you wriggle room to manage for incidents, but we are at 120%,” Mr Tracey said.

“We are in a crisis here with overcrowding. And, it’s not just Mountjoy, it’s Cork — they all are.” 

Mr Treacy said 'tensions have definitely increased because of overcrowding and reduced access to services'. Picture: Moya Nolan

He said overcrowding, and resulting cutbacks in out-of-cell activities, is leading to frustration, tensions, and violence among inmates, with prison officers forced to deal with the consequences.

When prison officers are moved to staff increased court and hospital escorts, various services are reduced or shut down, from family visits to access to gyms, from school to tuck shop.

Irish Prison Service (IPS) figures show there were 51,209 court presentations in 2024, compared to 45,417 in 2023 (up 13%) and 42,475 in 2022 (up 21%).

With prison staff redirected to court escorts, more prisoners remain locked up in cells.

“That causes frustration,” Mr Tracey said. 

“Tensions have definitely increased because of overcrowding and reduced access to services.” 

He added: “I want prisoners to be out of their cells during the day doing things, being active, be it the gym or school or kitchen or whatever and come back to their cells, not just in their cells on top of each other.” 

During a visit by the Irish Examiner to Mountjoy, Mr Tracey said all of these pressures have led to incidents.

“We have had a 20% increase in interventions,” he said, referring to where prison officers have to go into cells and break fights up or where a prisoner is causing a disturbance.

Mr Tracey said there are dangers for prison officers inside cells: “They [prisoners] have kettles, so they can be used and prisoners will make a weapon out of anything.” 

A cell in Mountjoy Prison with a mattress on the floor to accommodate a second prisoner because of overcrowding. Picture: Moya Nolan

He said that while figures for last year are not yet available, there had been a 22% increase in prisoner-on-prisoner violence in 2023 across the system, which he said reflected the situation in Mountjoy.

The overcrowding crisis in Mountjoy reflects a worsening picture across the country’s 14 prisons.

On the day of our visit, January 14, some 5,041 people were in custody, accommodated in cells for 4,543 people (111% over capacity).

On the same date in 2024, there were 4,717 prisoners (105% overcapacity). 

Similarly there were 4,278 in 2023 (97%) and 3,743 in 2022 (86%).

Overcrowding was worst in Limerick Female Prison (152% overcapacity), followed by Dóchas Women’s Prison (121%), Limerick Male (119%) and Cork Prison (118%).

A cell in Mountjoy for one prisoner. Picture: Moya Nolan

IPS figures show there are now 330 bunk beds across all prisons and 252 mattresses on floors. 

This compares to 213 mattresses at the end of last December, 77 in December 2023 and 30 in December 2022.

Adding to tensions and stretched resources is a growing mental health crisis in prisons.

As of January 3, there were 524 people being seen by the Psychology Service, with a further 2,078 on the waiting list. 

That totals 2,600 inmates — more than half of all prisoners in the system.

Mr Tracey said the demand for mental health services has exploded in Mountjoy in the last year, with a 63% hike in requests for psychiatric assessment of prisoners.

He said they have a five-month waiting list for psychology assessments.

Bunkbeds in a single cell in Mountjoy Prison. Picture: Moya Nolan

In a statement, the IPS said the Government had provided “significant capital funding” and that more than 200 extra spaces had been created in recent years.

It said Justice Minister Helen McEntee had secured funding of €525m for prisons and probation in Budget 2025, an increase of €79m.

It includes a €53m prison capital budget (up €22.5m). 

It said the IPS was working with the department to progress plans for 1,100 extra spaces between 2024 and 2030.