Irish Prison Service Eyes Vacant Curragh Military Prison As Possible Solution To Overcrowded Jails

Tuesday, 28 May 2024 14:36

By Martin Osborne

Kfm has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) is in talks with the Defence Forces to reopen a vacant military prison in The Curragh to alleviate overcrowding in Irish jails.

According to thejournal.ie, due to severe overcrowding, IPS is seeking solutions.

The Curragh Prison, previously the Military Detention Unit from 1869, was taken over by the IPS in the late 1990s.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: "The Department has had initial engagements with the Department of Defence, which owns the prison in the Curragh, regarding a possible recommissioning of the prison as a place of detention. The outcome of a technical assessment of the prison is awaited. The prison in the Curragh was previously used by IPS for a number of years up to 2003."

More from Local News

Kildare Council Shuts Down Push By Naas Mayor To Prioritise Certain Workers For Affordable Homes

Officials said introducing occupational preference could be considered discriminatory and may not comply with equality legislation, noting that national rules require affordable allocations to be based on income thresholds and housing need, not job titles.
Hours Apart: Laptops And Jewellery Stolen During Two Break-Ins At Homes In Kildare North

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in either area on Saturday and noticed suspicious activity to come forward.
GP Gaps Post-Pregnancy Flagged As Concern For New Mothers Across Kildare

Audio

Parts of Kildare are now among the worst areas in the country for access to a GP, according to new population-to-doctor figures.
€1.7bn Defence Plan: What We Know So Far After Curragh Camp Launch

Audio

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee launched the programme during her first official visit to the Defence Forces Training Centre at the Curragh Camp.
Healthcare Assistant Home Support Strike Risk: SIPTU Says Kildare Not Immune If Dispute Escalates

Speaking to Kfm News, Siptu Organiser Graham Macken said long-standing issues over pay, rostering and working conditions have not been addressed by the HSE, despite multiple national agreements.
Today Marks 40 Years Since The First Mobile Phone Call Was Made - What Was Your First Phone?

Audio

It's 40 years today since the historic chat between Pat Kenny and Jim Mitchell, who was Communications Minister in 1985.
Maynooth Station Overhaul Delivers New Lifts, Lighting And Improved Access

The upgrades are part of a wider national accessibility programme.
Defence Minister To Unveil €1.7bn Plan To Modernise Defence Forces As Espionage Threat Grows

Audio

The Institute of International and European Affairs and Deloitte warn an armed attack on an EU member is no longer impossible.