Former Cork prison could become new 300-bed facility under plan to tackle overcrowding

Micheál Martin says the former Cork prison site may be the only viable option to address urgent overcrowding

The old Victorian-era prison on Rathmore Rd closed in 2017 when inmates transferred to the new €45m purpose-built 296 bed capacity jail nearby.

The Taoiseach says there are few alternatives to reusing the former Cork prison site to provide extra prison spaces.

Micheál Martin made his comments as political opposition mounts against the proposal which came before Cabinet last week as part of a package of measures designed to ease chronic overcrowding in the prison system.