Average of 45 prisoners have slept on mattresses every night this year

The average daily prison population has risen from 3,738 in November 2017 to 3,962 last November and 4,025 earlier this month, the Irish Examiner reports.

The newspaper’s analysis of the figures suggests that Limerick female prison (40 inmates) had a mattress use rate of 15 per cent, Limerick male prison (215 inmates) had a rate of 7.5 per cent and Midlands prison (846 inmates) had a mattress use rate of one per cent.

Fíona Ní Chinnéide, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, said: “Prisoners sleeping on floors is a clear breach of the most basic human rights standards, including the European prison rules. It is unacceptable and undermines rehabilitation, with future implications for public safety.

“Crowding in prisons increases tensions, violence and drugs, putting the safety of staff and prisoners at risk. This will become worse in summer, when prison schools are closed for four weeks.”

Ms Ní Chinnéide said it was “beyond urgent” that a strategy to reduce prisoner numbers to safe level is implemented.