Parliamentary Question: Prison Accommodation

31st January 2007

 412. Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will implement the recommendation of the Inspector of Prisons (details supplied) that the number of women held in Limerick Prison should be reduced due to the fact that female prisoners are living in cramped and claustrophobic conditions. [2379/07]

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): I am informed that there were 20 females in custody at Limerick Prison on 26 January, 2007. This figure compares with a bed capacity of 20. The ten cells in the female area of the prison were originally designed for single cell occupancy, however, it was necessary to "double up" due to the high level of female committals in the Munster area. The alternative would have been to release female prisoners at an early stage of their sentence solely to make way for new committals.

While it is recognised that the female facilities in Limerick Prison are not ideal, there are significant space restrictions in Limerick Prison which preclude a major development of this area. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware of two major prison developments, one in North County Dublin and the other in Munster. It is intended that these new facilities will alleviate the pressure on female accommodation spaces by providing predominantly single cell accommodation with in-cell sanitation facilities and will also offer significant improvements in the areas of work, training, educational and medical services for women inmates. There are no plans to reduce the capacity of the female wing of Limerick Prison in advance of these new developments.