No extra prison spaces despite Simon Harris's pledge

Taoiseach laid out 26 promises, which included commitments on health, housing, and security, but just two of these appear to be new proposals with the remaining based on existing policy

Taoiseach Simon Harris: Opposition dubbed many of his plans as 'spin'.

No extra prison spaces will be delivered beyond previous commitments despite a promise from Simon Harris to expand capacity under his leadership.

During his maiden speech as Taoiseach, Mr Harris laid out 26 promises, which included commitments on health, housing, and security. However, just two of these 26 appear to be new proposals with the remaining based on existing policy.

While Mr Harris announced a new committee to focus on disabilities and a Dublin city taskforce, the opposition has dubbed many of ambitions as "spin".

Amid warnings that record overcrowding in Irish prisons could spill over into violence, Mr Harris is emphasising law and order, stating that he will increase the number of prison spaces.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) has previously told the Irish Examiner that prisons are "at breaking point". 

On Wednesday, the country's prisons were at 108% capacity, with some individual facilities as high as 120%, as prisoners sleep on mattresses on the ground in overcrowded cells.

However, it is understood that these new spaces will not go beyond extra places across four short-term capital projects at Castlrea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy, which were already announced by Mr Harris in 2023 when he was temporarily in the Justice portfolio.

Money for these 670 places and 100 short-term project spaces was secured by Justice Minister Helen McEntee before Mr Harris was appointed Taoiseach.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris came under fire for his "no-show" in the Dáil during leaders' questions. 

The new Taoiseach was instead "speaking with the prime minister of the UK", as well as Northern Ireland's First and Deputy Ministers, and the president of Ukraine, according to chief whip Hildegarde Naughton. 

However, a spokesperson for Mr Harris later confirmed that these calls took place after the usual leaders' question time slot and he was instead preparing for yesterday evening's calls and meetings in Brussels and Warsaw on Thursday.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald slammed his absence from the Dáil chamber as "an absolute disgrace".