No beds for over 100 people in Cork Prison

More than 100 people are without a bed in Cork prison, as overcrowding reaches closed to record figures.

There were 397 people incarcerated in Cork prison, which has 296 beds, on Wednesday, representing 134% capacity. The Irish Prison Service as a whole is operating at 124% capacity, with more than 650 people sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

Cork prison has seen consistent overcrowding, reaching a high in August this year with 403 people incarcerated, meaning more than 25% of the inmates did not have a bed.

Earlier this year, the Government announced plans to build a new prison alongside the current one by 2031, utilising the site of the old Cork prison, which was closed in 2016. This will be demolished and replaced with the new prison, set to cater for 230 male and 100 female inmates. However, this plan has been criticised by public representatives, the local community, and the Irish Penal Reform Trust.