The Irish Prison Services lodged the planning for Cloverhill Prison
Plans for 143 cells at Cloverhill Prison
Plans have been lodged for a new prison block at Cloverhill Prison.
A planning application was submitted to Dublin City Council by the Irish Prison Service, for “a proposal to construct a new accommodation block including up to 143 cells, accompanying ancillary rooms and facilities along with the reconfiguration of yard spaces at Cloverhill Prison”.
Cloverhill Prison is Ireland’s only prison dedicated to housing remand prisoners, i.e.: someone charged with committing an offence who is not given bail and must stay in prison until their trial.
It can house 431 prisoners at its current capacity, according to the Irish Prisons Strategy 2023 -2027 report, which also stated that since 2022, there is an increase “both in the number of remand prisoners and the average length of time spent on remand”.
“A further recent feature of remand prisoners is the increasing seriousness of the criminal charges they face. As a result, many remand prisoners are now being detained for much longer periods than was previously the case,” the report said.
Speaking on the Hard Shoulder on Newstalk on Thursday, June 5, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said he wanted to see “a situation between now and 2031 that we’re going to add approximately 15,000 new [prison] spaces”.
He highlighted that capacity in Irish prisons has only increased by 4% since 2011, versus a population increase of 16%.
As well as Cloverhill, he said other projects were underway to increase capacity at prisons around the country.
“On top of that in the programme for Government we will seek to develop a new prison,” Minister O’Callaghan said.
Drawings and particulars of the proposed development will be available for inspection at Ballyfermot Garda Station, Ronanstown Garda Station, and Irish Prison Service Headquarters Building in county Longford, until July 10, 2025.
Submissions or observations may be made in writing to Irish Prison Service, Estates Section, IDA Business Park, Ballinalee Road, Longford until that same date.
