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Irish Penal Reform Trust

Building more prisons is not the answer to overcrowding The Irish Penal Reform Trust outlines a more progressive and cost-effective approach

7th May 2026

IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady's letter published in The Irish Times on 7 May 2026 highlights why expanding prison capacity alone will not solve Ireland’s prison overcrowding crisis, and outlines the need for greater investment in community sanctions, diversion and prevention-focused approaches.

Read the letter here. 

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