'Nightmare' as overcrowded Irish prisons likely to set new record of 6,000 inmates

Two women's prisons — at Limerick Prison, above, and the Dóchas Centre at Mountjoy in Dublin — have the highest levels of overcrowding in the State, currently at 64% and 152% capacity respectively. File picture: Kieran Clancy 

Irish prisons will soon hit “nightmare” overcrowding levels, with inmate numbers likely to hit 6,000 in the coming weeks.

It comes as the Irish Prison Service is bracing itself for a severe threat to security with the potential extradition of cartel boss Daniel Kinahan from Dubai to face charges.

Prison sources have told the Irish Examiner that while Kinahan would be housed in the A block of Portlaoise Prison — described as “a prison within a prison” — the transport of the Kinahan cartel leader poses the “biggest risk” to security.

“Daniel Kinahan would be an incredible flight risk, and they would think nothing of attacking a transport,” one security source said.

The overcrowding crisis in the Irish prisons will be front and centre over the coming days at the annual conference of the Prison Officers Association in Kilkenny.

When inmate numbers hit 6,000, it would mean that almost 1,300 extra people would be crammed into prisons, far beyond their maximum capacity.

Daniel Joseph Kinahan is expected to be extradited from Dubai to face charges in Ireland — potentially adding a further security headache for prison officials and staff. File picture: US Dept of State

One prison source said hitting that mark would be a “nightmare”, given the prisons are “literally running out” of cell floor space to put mattress on, with the space situation worst in Mountjoy and Cloverhill.

570 inmates sleeping on floors 

Some 700 bunk beds have been put into cells since 2023, and around 570 more people are already sleeping on mattresses on cell floors.

As well as overcrowding, the association will tell delegates today of a 38% surge in violence among prisoners in 2025, as well as a 23% rise in direct physical assaults by inmates on prison officers.

Last night, the association’s acting president, Peter Redmond, said prisoner numbers hit a record high of 5,909 on March 24 — in a system that has maximum possible capacity for 4,736 inmates.

“This represents a shortfall of 1,173 bed spaces and this, combined with the myriad of well-established issues resulting as a direct consequence of overcrowding, is a national scandal,” Mr Redmond said.

'Gangs thrive' amid overcrowding

“Overcrowding allows the bully and the gangs to thrive, and ensures that the vulnerable prisoner becomes even more vulnerable. The level of intimidation, violence, availability of contraband; to include drugs weapons and phones, all increase in an overcrowded environment.”

He said the minister of the day was responsible, adding: “Some 70 additional bed spaces have been created since minister Jim O’ Callaghan was appointed. However an additional 460 people have been imprisoned in this period.”

On March 24, the prison system was at 125% of its maximum capacity. The highest levels of overcrowding were in the two women’s prisons, Limerick (164%) and Dóchas (152%).

Cork Prison had the worst overcrowding in the male prisons (140%), followed by Mountjoy (138%) and Portlaoise (137%).

Portlaoise is the country’s only high-security prison, reflecting its perimeter fencing and multiple gates and additional security in the A block. 

The A block houses around 40 inmates — including gangland figures such as Sean McGovern, Daniel Kinahan’s lieutenant.

Sources emphasise that the main security risk relating to Kinahan would be during prison transport to court, particularly to Dublin or hospital.

• Cormac O’Keeffe, Security Correspondent, in Kilkenny