Irish Prison Service Embarks on €400m Building Project to Ease Overcrowding

The Irish Prison Service has launched a €400 million project to increase prison spaces by a third, addressing overcrowding issues. The project involves refurbishing and expanding existing facilities and building a new facility at Thornton Hall in Dublin. Currently, Irish prisons are at 118% capacity, with around 5,500 inmates occupying space designed for 4,600. The project aims to construct 1,500 additional spaces, with the first stage being the expansion of D Wing in Cloverhill.