I thank the Minister of State. Cork Life Centre will be having its annual awards on Thursday, 21 May. We are all looking forward to that as well.

Sentiment score: 0.36

I thank the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, for coming to the House. It is rare that we get a senior Minister taking a Topical Issue, so I appreciate him coming in. I want to address the ongoing and worsening overcrowding in Cork Prison and the very real impact it is having on prison officers and staff, who are being asked to manage conditions that are no longer sustainable. Cork Prison has an operational capacity of 296 but the daily average number of people in custody in 2024 was 335, which rose further to an average of 354 in early 2025. That means Cork Prison has been operating at 120% to 130% capacity, with between 50 and 80 people sleeping on mattresses on the floor on any given night. This level of overcrowding is not just an inconvenience. It is a serious occupational health and safety issue for all the staff who work in the prison. Overcrowded landings, people sleeping on floors, limited sightlines and cramped shared spaces significantly increase the risk of violence, assault and disorder, while also making routine duties more dangerous and stressful for staff. Prison officers in Cork are being asked to maintain order, safety and discipline in conditions that fall well short of what would be regarded as acceptable in any other public service workplace. Staff cannot be expected to carry this burden indefinitely. While I acknowledge national plans to add capacity around the country, Cork has for many years been under sustained pressure but without a permanent solution. Short-term measures and marginal increases in bed numbers do not address the fundamental problem, which is that the physical size and layout of the prison is no longer fit for purpose given current committal levels. That is why I call on the Minister to commit to a substantial extension of Cork Prison, delivering additional modern accommodation that reduces pressures, improves staff safety and allows the prison to operate within safe limits on a consistent basis. I refer to it as an extension because many of our opponents in the Opposition would contend that we are trying to land a second prison on top of people. As usual, they are trying to play politics with this issue. An extension is warranted and that is what it is; an extension. Any extension to the prison needs to bring a clear community dividend or community benefit. I ask the Minister to speak to whatever public consultation can be done, whether by the Minister, the Department of justice, the Prison Service or the OPW, to consult with the public as to what community dividend we can have for the local community. Whether that public consultation would yield an amenity space, a community building or otherwise, it would be important to factor it in. This is not just about being hard on crime. It is about running a prison safely, professionally and efficiently while respecting the people who work there and protecting the wider public by ensuring the system is stable and controlled. Cork Prison cannot continue to operate over capacity year after year. That is why I am asking that Cork be prioritised for a major capital extension with a clear timeline, clear staffing protections and a commitment that any development delivers tangible benefits both for prison officers and the wider Cork community.

Sentiment score: -0.06

We are all aware that this prison extension is going to happen but I welcome the confirmation from the Minister. It is unfortunate that the plan for it to be delivered extends to 2031, which is the best part of five years away. While I understand that these things take time, I hope that if everybody puts their shoulder to the wheel, that could be shortened. I welcome the fact the proposal is to go forward for planning. When it comes to the design level, we will do what we can to work with the communities that live nearby in terms of designing a prison that can fit in well with the community that is already there. My real motivation for raising this is to hammer home the community benefit side of things. It is imperative that fair consideration is given. I know the Minister is not an architect or an engineer, that he will not be designing the prison, and that it will be done by professionals in the Prison Service or hired by the Prison Service but I need to hammer home that the community needs to see a dividend out of that. I would hope the Minister's words here will be passed on to the people who will be designing the scheme when it is put forward. It is about something substantial for the community. On the northside of the city, there is a clear lack of community buildings, amenities and so on. I am hoping that due consideration will be given. I hope that will be passed on to the governor of the prison and the people who will be tasked with designing the prison.

Sentiment score: 0.20