Female prisoners sleeping on camp beds in Limerick Prison
New figures were released at the Prison Officers Association annual delegate conference
FIFTEEN inmates are sleeping on camp beds in Limerick Female Prison, say the Prison Officers Association (POA).
The 56-capacity facility was officially opened last October by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee.
The new prison includes units that are being referred to as rooms rather than cells. Forty eight of the rooms are regular single-bedroom units with ensuites while a further eight are apartment-style rooms for independent living. It is an increase from 28 units in the former prison.
However, the POA, which held its annual delegate conference in Sligo last week, say, “Limerick Female Prison, the most modern in the State, now has 15 prisoners sleeping on camp beds”.
Tony Power, POA president, said: “Today the number of prisoners in custody is about to reach a staggering 5,000. That is an incredible 25% increase on the figure of five years ago.
“There has not been a commensurate increase in prison spaces to deal with this explosion in numbers”.