Prison Facilities in IrelandPrison Facilities in Ireland
There are 14 institutions in the Irish Prison System; information on the individual prisons is included below.
Image: Irish Prison Service
Mountjoy Prison
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.
Tel: 01 8062800
Fax: 01 8062824
Governor: Mr. John Lonergan
Current operational capacity*: 590
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 588
Original design capacity**: 489
Mountjoy Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over. It is the main committal prison for Dublin city and county and the largest penal institution in the State.
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Dóchas Centre
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.
Tel: 01 8858987
Fax: 01 8858910
Governor: Ms. Kathleen McMahon
Current operational capacity*: 85
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 104
Dochas Centre is a closed, medium security prison for females aged 18 years and over. It is the committal prison for females committed on remand or sentenced from all Courts outside the Munster area.
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St. Patrick's Institution
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.
Tel: 01 8062896
Fax: 01 8307705
Governor: Mr. Sean Quigley
Current operational capacity*: 217
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 207
St. Patrick’s Institution is a closed, medium security place of detention for males aged 16 to 21 years. It accommodates both remand and sentenced prisoners.
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Training Unit
Glengarriff Parade,
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.
Tel: 01 8062890
Fax: 01 8307460
Governor: Mr. Declan Murphy
Current operational capacity*: 107
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 97
Training Unit is a semi-open, low security prison for males aged 18 years and over, with a strong emphasis on work and training.
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Wheatfield Prison
Cloverhill Road,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.
Tel: 01 6209400
Fax: 01 6209430
Governor: Mr. William Connolly
Current operational capacity*: 430
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 388
Wheatfield Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over. It is the committal prison for counties Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Wexford and Wicklow.
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Cloverhill Remand Prison
Cloverhill Road,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.
Tel: 01 6304530 / 01 6304531
Fax: 01 6304580
Governor: Mr. William Connolly
Current operational capacity*: 431
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 441
Cloverhill Remand Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over which primarily caters for remand prisoners committed from the Leinster area.
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Arbour Hill Prison
Arbour Hill,
Dublin 7.
Tel: 01 6719333
Fax: 01 6799518
Governor: Mr. Liam Dowling
Current operational capacity*: 148
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 146
Arbour Hill Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over. Its prisoner profile is largely made up of long term sentenced prisoners.
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Limerick Prison
Mulgrave Street,
Limerick.
Tel: 061 204700
Fax: 061 415116
Governor: Mr. Tadhg O’Riordan
Current operational capacity*: 290 males and 20 females
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 284 males and 20 females
Original design capacity**: (males unknown) and 10 females
Limerick Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males and females aged 17 years and over. It is the committal prison for males for counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary and for females for all six Munster counties.
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Cork Prison
Rathmore Road,
Cork City,
Cork.
Tel: 021 4518800
Fax: 021 4518860
Governor: Mr. James Collins
Current operational capacity*: 272
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 276
Original design capacity**: 168
Cork Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over. It is the committal prison for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford.
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Castlerea Prison
Harristown,
Castlerea,
Co. Roscommon.
Tel: 094 96 25213
Fax: 094 96 26226
Governor: Mr. Daniel J. Scannell
Current operational capacity*: 351
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 232
Castlerea Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over. It is the committal prison for remand and sentenced prisoners in Connaught and also takes committals from counties Cavan, Donegal and Longford.
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Loughan House Open Centre
Blacklion,
Co. Cavan.
Tel: 071 9853059
Fax: 071 9853234
Governor: Mr. Martin Reilly
Current operational capacity*: 150
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 114
Loughan House Open Centre is an open, low security prison for males aged 18 years and over who are regarded as requiring lower levels of security.
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Midlands Prison
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois.
Tel: 05786 72110 / 72100
Fax: 05786 72219
Governor: Mr. Edward Whelan
Current operational capacity*: 516
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 463
Midlands Prison is a closed, medium security prison for males aged 17 years and over. It is the committal prison for counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.
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Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois.
Tel: 05786 21318
Fax: 05786 20997
Governor: Mr. Edward Whelan
Current operational capacity*: 240
Daily Average Occupancy in 2008: 107
Portlaoise Prison is a closed, high security prison for males aged 17 years and over. It is the committal prison for those sent to custody from the Special Criminal Court and prisoners accommodated here include those linked with subversive crime.
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Shelton Abbey
Arklow,
Co. Wicklow.
Tel: 0402 42300
Fax: 0402 42350
Governor: Mr. Hector Mac Lennan
Current operational capacity: 100
Daily average occupancy in 2008: 77
Shelton Abbey is an open, low security prison for males aged 19 years and over who are regarded as requiring lower levels of security.
Source: Irish Prison Service
* “Current operational capacity” means the number of beds currently available to accommodate prisoners in the prison.
** “Original design capacity” is as stated in the Office of the Inspector of Prisons Annual Report 2008. This was calculated by excluding the extra beds that are provided by adding bunk beds to already occupied cells.