The Prison Officers’ Association has accused the Government and the Department of Justice of consistently failing to deal with the overcrowding crisis in the country’s prisons by failing to plan for the increase in inmates.
The association said there are 1,500 more prisoners in custody than five years ago, over 350 of whom are sleeping on floors, while 160 cells are vacant in Portlaoise Prison.
POA President Tony Power said that in spite of promises of 650 new prison spaces by successive ministers for justice over the past five years, nothing has been done.
The association’s annual conference opens in Galway this morning and is due to be addressed by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
Prison officers say tensions and violence are increasing in jails, with more inmates and officers being attacked.
Incidents in the last year include the murder of a prisoner in Cloverhill Prison, an attack on a prison officer who had his face slashed, and the petrol bombing of a prison officer’s home.
There are more people in prison than ever before – 5,344 – with 358 sleeping on the floor.
The POA said overcrowding creates a potentially explosive situation which has in the past led to riots, prison officers being taken hostage and jails set on fire.
Mr Power said that prison is supposed to be about rehabilitation, but that is impossible without the necessary living and school space, or the workshops to allow prisoners to engage constructively.
He says previous promises by Tánaiste Simon Harris and former minister for justice Helen McEntee have proved “hollow”.
They promised 650 extra prison spaces, with new builds at Cloverhill, Castlerea and Midlands prisons and a four-storey block on the grounds of the old separation unit at Mountjoy jail, but “not a sod has been turned on any of these projects”.
The association has issued a warning to Mr O’Callaghan that if an immediate solution is not found to the problem of chronic overcrowding, “we will have a tragic event or some form of crisis on all our hands”.
It said there have been five years of false promises.
The POA also said there are 160 empty cells in E block in Portlaoise Prison which have been vacant for three years that could be used if minor health and safety issues were addressed.
Some 100 cells could be opened in the Curragh Prison, it adds, and the old Cork prison could be refurbished.
Deputy General Secretary Gabriel Keaveny said there are also “footprint” sites in Mountjoy, Castlerea and Portlaoise that could be used for “fast-tracked” for building.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Keaveny said: “There’s been numerous announcements by successive justice ministers to tackle the overcrowding crisis, but they haven’t followed through and delivered.
“We can run the system with around 4, 300 prisoners, but currently there are over 5,300 in prisons.
“There are approximately 1,500 prisoners more than at this time in 2019. Almost 400 prisoners are sleeping on floors, 500 on bunk beds and on a landing with 45 cells, there are 90 prisoners,” Mr Keaveny added.
The Deputy General Secretary stressed the prison system was “bursting at the seams”
“There is no end in sight or a viable plan in place for the next few years We’re told that even if a new prison was granted, it would take up to seven years to deliver,” he said.
“Prison is meant to be about rehabilitation, but that rehabilitation is impossible when we don’t have the living space, the school spaces, or the workshop spaces to allow prisoners to engage constructively during their sentences.
“We recently met with the minister and officials to discuss this and other issues. But nothing will address this situation unless the minister and his officials find the budget to create more prison spaces,” Mr Keaveny said.
