'Slopping out' to continue in Portlaoise Prison despite prison funding allocation

Despite allocating €49.5 million up to 2026 for work to help provide ‘dignity of care’ in prisons, the practice of slopping out looks set to continue in Portlaoise Prison. 

The practice of slopping out has ended in every other prison in the country. It involves the use of containers for human waste which are then removed from cells. The practice has been branded “inhumane" and "degrading” by the Irish Penal Reform Trust.  Despite this, the practice continues on the E-Block in Portlaoise Prison where subversive prisoners are held. 

Announcing the €49.5 million funding for prisons earlier this week, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee told graduating prison officers that the funding would help provide “dignity of care and rehabilitation” and improve conditions for people in custody. 

“This allocation sends the message to those new recruits, and to their colleagues across the IPS, that we value their contribution and are improving the working and living conditions for them and the people in their custody, with the ultimate goal of ensuring our prisons are safe, provide dignity of care and rehabilitation to prevent reoffending and build safer, stronger communities,” Minister McEntee stated.  

However, when queried on the practice of slopping out on E-Block in Portlaoise, the Department of Justice indicated it would continue. 

“The IPS has examined the provision of in-cell sanitation at E Block in Portlaoise and has determined that given the historical nature and condition of the building combined with the relative costs, installing in-cell sanitation is not feasible in this block,” a Department of Justice spokesperson said.

There were eight prisoners in E- Block in Portlaoise Prison on Friday, April 5. The prison had 229 prisoners and was operating at 105% capacity. The Midlands Prison was operating at 109% capacity with 875 prisoners. 

The Department spokesperson said the funding would provide an additional 670 prison spaces across four prisons. 

“In particular this funding will facilitate progress on four capital projects at Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy prisons to accommodate up to 670 prisoners. Preparatory work will commence this year on these four key projects as part of an accelerated capital construction programme.

This additional capital funding will also be used to advance short term projects currently being pursued by the Prison Service that are expected to deliver almost 100 spaces this year across the prison estate,” the spokesperson stated.