€54m top-up for jails in Laois and Ireland includes big staff cost extra

The Irish Prison Service is getting millions of euro extra to run and create new spaces in packed jails in Portlaoise and the rest of Ireland.

The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, announced  on Saturday additional funding of €98m for the Justice Sector to the end of this year.

Half, €54m, is going into prisons as follows:

- €19 - additional staffing and hours needed to maintain safe staffing levels, for increased prisoner numbers and for escort requirements to courts and hospitals;

- €26m in operational expenses;

- €9m in additional capital, to progress delivery of 150 additional spaces by the year end;

Minister McEntee commented on the money which brings total 2024 money for prisons to €500m.

“I am very conscious of the need to deal with challenges caused by the increased prison population. I have provided increased funding for greater staffing, while the capital budget for the IPS will increase by over 70% in 2025 as part of the plan to deliver 1,100 extra spaces between now and 2030.

“This represents one of the fastest ever expansions of prison capacity in Ireland. Works are in progress to deliver over 150 additional spaces by the year end. To fund these plans, I secured capital funding of €159m for the years 2024 to 2026,“ she said.

The now Taoiseach Simon Harris announced in April 2023 plans for a new 100-cell “F Wing” in the Midlands Prison Portlaoise which would have the potential to accommodate up to 180 prisoners.

If built it would push the capacity of the Laois jail beyond 1,000 inmates.

Both the Midlands Prison and Portlaoise Prison have operated beyond capacity regularly in 2024.