Inmates at Limerick Women's Prison sleeping on mattresses or floors due to overcrowding

In the past two and a half months, there have been just seven nights where no female prisoner was sleeping on a mattress

Justice Minister Helen McEntee: 'Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the courts.'

Prisoners at Limerick Women's Prison have slept on mattresses on floors on 208 occasions since the start of September, with overcrowding rampant at the jail.

Figures show that since the start of last September as many as seven prisoners a night have had no bed, including on Tuesday night of this week and for four nights in succession at the end of last month.