Irish Prison Service rejects plan to reopen Curragh military jail to deal with overcrowding
Ken Foxe
Plans for the reopening of the old military prison at the Curragh have been quietly shelved, after a review found it would be neither cost-effective nor provide a safe environment for staff or prisoners.
The Department of Justice had repeatedly pushed for the reopening of the facility in Co Kildare as part of new efforts to tackle dangerous levels of overcrowding in Irish jails. However, a feasibility report — which cost just over €16,000 — revealed a host of issues at the former jail, including dry rot and the absence of cabling. It found that there would be an exorbitant cost to make just 62 new jail spaces available.
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