The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has said that "dramatic increases" in the number of sentenced prisoners were leading to overcrowding and that temporary release had been used to reduce numbers in times of serious overcrowding.
The IPS said the increase in the prison population was particularly apparent last year, with recently published statistics revealing a rise of 13.6 per cent on the overall committals to prison (13,557 in 2008 compared to 11,934 in 2007) and an almost 25 per cent increase in the numbers of people being jailed under sentence (8,043, up from 6,455 in 2007).
On September 18th, there were 3,917 prisoners in custody as compared to a bed capacity of 3,947, an occupancy level of 99 per cent, the IPS said. The organisation attributed the increase in prison numbers to increasing Garda success; extra court sittings, leading to higher committal rates; and "a trend of increased committals from the courts".
"This situation is particularly apparent over the past 12 months, where we have seen dramatic increases in the number of sentenced prisoners, those being committed on remand and a trend towards longer sentences," the IPS said.
"Figures show that over the past 12 years, the numbers in custody have increased by 65 per cent. Moreover, the length of sentences being imposed by the courts have also increased in recent years - for example the number of persons serving sentences of 10 years or over more than doubled in 2007 and figures for 2008 show a further 20 per cent increase in this category. The number of prisoners being held on remand on a daily basis has also increased by 40 per cent in the last three years."
The service noted it used temporary release as part of its programme of sentence management and that this had been judicially used tackle overcrowding. According to reports, over 600 prisoners at a time are being given temporary release in a bid to ease the overcrowding.
It also pointed out that last year, 30 extra spaces were introduced at the open centre at Shelton Abbey and a further 40 spaces at Loughan House, while the new block in Castlerea Prison, which accommodates some 100 prisoners, has recently opened. The IPS said capital projects under way would bring "a potential extra 450 prison spaces" this year.
A new block in Portlaoise Prison, which will house some 200, is due to open shortly, as is a new block in Wheatfield Prison, which will accommodate 200. The separation unit at Mountjoy is to create an extra 50 spaces.
"It has to be acknowledged that the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the courts, and we do not have the option of putting up 'house full' or 'no vacancies' signs. There are contingency plans in place in all our prisons to deal with peak population numbers," the IPS said.
