Prison Overcrowding Contributing To Violence In Ireland

Ireland is implementing a building program to deliver over 1,500 prison spaces by 2031. The initiative follows a shift in timelines from 2026 to 2030. Gabriel Keithley, Deputy General Secretary of the Prison Officers Association, stated that Ireland faces amounts of prisoners in big prisons. He criticized the construction of modular homes costing 500,000 euro each, suggesting funds should instead be used for urgent cell blocks. Keithley described the current modular housing as 'Coronation Street style houses' in Castlerie. A commentator noted that the Department of Justice has failed to plan effectively for population projections. The program is described as arriving too late to address current needs. The source suggested that prison infrastructure should have been addressed a decade ago. A trial of the cameras was recently completed at Portlaoise prison. The rollout will expand to Mountjoy prison within the next couple of months. Support services are currently in place for staff recovering from injuries. The comments come as the Irish prison service reports an increase in the number of recognized criminal gangs within the prison system.