Minister for Justice visits new €60m expansion at Limerick Prison
THE Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee has visited Limerick Prison to review its major expansion project, which is nearing completion.
The €60million euro development will provide a new accommodation block for male prisoners and a new standalone female prison.
The opening of the new male accommodation later this year will result in an additional 90 prisoner cell spaces being made available while the completion of the new standalone female prison will provide accommodation for at least 22 additional prisoners.
During her visit to Limerick Prison at Mulgrave Street, the Minister was accompanied by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service. She also took the opportunity to speak with management and staff.
“These works are clear evidence of the Government’s continued investment in the capital development of the prison estate to ensure we have adequate capacity in our prisons. I am hugely impressed by the new facility here in Limerick Prison which demonstrates the Irish Prison Service’s commitment to the provision of safe and secure custody in facilities that are designed to support prisoner rehabilitation,” said Ms McEntee.
A number of years ago, The Irish Prison Service committed, in its strategic plan, to the elimination of ‘slopping out’ through the provision of in-cell sanitation in the older parts of the prison estate where that practice remains.
Completion of the works at Limerick Prison will end the practice at the facility.
During her visit, Minister McEntee also noted the highly innovative accommodation which is being built specifically for the needs of women.
“It is important that our prisons cater for the specific needs of women. This new facility has been carefully designed to meet these needs and will help the women prisoners there to address the factors that led to their offending and provide them with opportunities for a better life post imprisonment.”