No expansion plan for Cork Prison despite being most overcrowded in the country

THERE are no expansion plans for Cork Prison, despite it being the most overcrowded in the country, according to the latest prison statistics.

As of Friday, March 29, there were 340 people in Cork Prison, 15% over the bed capacity for 296 people, and considerably more than on the same date last year, when there 309 prisoners in custody.

Sixty-five prisoners were on temporary release from the prison on that date, compared to 46 the same day in 2023, and 131 people were in Cork Prison on trial or remand at the end of March.

The total number of prisoners, which is significantly above capacity at 423, is made up of those in custody, on any form of temporary release, those detained in hospital or the Central Mental Hospital, and ‘lifers in the community’.

“The Irish Prison Service makes every effort to address the issue through a combination of inter-prison transfers and the judicious selection of suitable candidates for temporary release,” a spokesperson for The Irish Prison Service told The Echo.

“Only those serving a sentence of imprisonment can be considered for temporary release and as such this option is not available to the people who are being held on remand.”

Nationally, the prison system was operating at 108% capacity at the end of March, with 4,874 people in custody. All but three prisons — Shelton Abbey and Loughan House open prisons, and Arbour Hill sex offenders’ prison — were over capacity.

An Irish Prison Service spokesperson said it “must accept all prisoners committed by the courts”, stating that it had “no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time”.

The spokesperson added: “In 2023, there were 7,946 people committed to prison, which represents an increase of 13% on the equivalent figure of 7,043 in 2022 and 30% on 6,133 in 2021.

“The overall daily average number of prisoners in custody in 2023 was 4,583 — an 11% increase when compared to 2022, and 15.4% higher than the pre-covid benchmark.”

A prison overcrowding response group has been established, with officials from the Department of Justice, the Irish Prison Service, Probation Service, Courts Service, and An Garda Síochána to examine proposals to address overcrowding. Plans have been outlined for capital projects at Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy prisons which can accommodate up to 670 prisoners.

In addition to the capital projects, a number of short-term projects currently being advanced have the potential to deliver 95 additional spaces in 2024 at Castlerea, Loughan House, Shelton Abbey, Midlands, Wheatfield, and Limerick prisons.

A number of medium-term projects are also being explored for the provision of additional accommodation in Mountjoy and Castlerea.