2 days ago
Prison service pleaded with Government to delay court cases to address chronic overcrowding
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) pleaded with the Department of Justice to stop scheduling extra court sittings and to consider using cells in Garda stations for prisoners.
A message from IPS director of operations said they had done everything in their power to deal with overcrowding in jails, as numbers in custody approached 5,000.
However, the senior official said they had now run out of options and 'decisions outside of their control' meant the number of people in prison would continue to rise.
The email was sent last summer as the IPS struggled with high levels of overcrowding, which have since deteriorated further.
The director of operations — whose name was withheld on security grounds under Freedom of Information laws — said there were 'no easy or palatable decisions' left.
He said the UK government had just introduced emergency measures and delayed some court cases due to its own problems with overcrowding.
The message said there were eight steps that needed to be considered or reconsidered as a 'matter of urgency' to ease pressure on Irish jails.
This included: 'Cancellation of scheduled additional court sittings and a commitment that no further additional sittings will be arranged pending prison capacity being addressed.'
He also called for the decision to appoint or reassign criminal judges to be reconsidered and cases involving asylum claims be dealt with in 'alternative facilities'.
The director of operations said Ireland should also consider delaying court cases and using Garda cells to house prisoners.
He added: '[We should] reconsider the proposal to unilaterally increase the rate of remission provided for under current legislation.'
The email said a new policy on bail was needed urgently to ensure people awaiting trial for 'non-serious offences' were not sent to jail.
An eighth suggested measure was redacted from the records on the basis it could compromise the security of the prison system.
The email was forwarded to the Department of Justice in May along with an update from the governor of Mountjoy Prison, Ray Murtagh.
The governor's message said: 'We now have an historical number of 912 prisoners in custody this morning, and when I previously expressed concern we were at 858.
'I now have all my additional 114 bunk beds filled and an additional 57 on mattresses.'
He said the C base of Mountjoy was at full capacity, and a newly arrived batch of 12 prisoners would also have to sleep on mattresses on the floor.
'We are currently over 120% capacity, and this has placed significant unprecedented pressure on the prison,' wrote Mr Murtagh.
He added he could see 'no abatement' in sight and other prisons in Dublin and Laois were also running over capacity.
The records were only released this week by the Irish Prison Service following an appeal under FOI.
The number of prisoners in custody has since smashed the 5,000 barrier, and on Monday of this week reached more than 5,500.
That included 588 on temporary release as authorities have sought to ease pressure on a system that is operating at 119% of capacity.
Asked about the correspondence, a spokesman said: 'The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the courts.
'As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.'
He said temporary release was used on a case-by-case basis, and they were working closely with the Department of Justice to ensure a safe working environment for staff and for prisoners.
