Mountjoy refurbishment sees violent incidents fall
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The number of violent incidents involving inmates at Mountjoy Prison has fallen by as much as 40 per cent, the Irish Prison Service has said.
Prison governor Brian Murphy has attributed the fall to the long-term refurbishment of Ireland’s largest prison, which has cost around €28 million so far.
The practice of slopping out has now been ended in the prison and inmates are staying single cells with in-cell sanitation, TVs, and computers with controlled Internet access.
The D wing was recently refurbished as part of the final phase of the refurbishment and in-cell sanitation project, which commenced in 2014. It included the conversion of a number of training workshops into cells.
The refurbished C wing, with in-cell sanitation and a dedicated committal unit, was reopened in May 2012. The A and B wings had been refurbished earlier.
Further work is taking place to create new sports and leisure facilities on the site, including a gym and an all-weather soccer pitch.
The Prison Service said the improved facilities and increased access to education and training programmes have already contributed to the reduction in the number of violent incidents.