Ireland’s prison system is under severe strain as prison officers report rising levels of violence, intimidation, drug smuggling and weapons trafficking, which they say are being driven by chronic overcrowding.
The Prison Officers’ Association (POA), meeting for its annual conference in Kilkenny, has described conditions across the estate as “a national scandal”, warning that the system is now operating far beyond safe capacity.
Figures presented by the association show more than 6,600 people are currently held in custody, despite there being fewer than 4,700 available beds. That leaves an excess of over 1,900 prisoners, with officers estimating that the system is now between 1,300 and 1,500 inmates over what can be safely managed.
The consequences, according to prison staff representatives, are becoming increasingly severe. Violent incidents rose from 1,093 in 2024 to 1,503 last year, an increase of 37.5%. Direct attacks on prison officers also climbed by 23%, rising from 107 to 132 incidents.
POA Acting President Peter Redmond said overcrowding has become the central factor behind a wider breakdown in safety and order, arguing that it allows organised crime groups to operate more effectively inside prisons while leaving vulnerable prisoners at greater risk.
He also pointed to what he described as a growing mental health crisis, with almost 2,500 inmates currently awaiting psychological assessment or support. Many, he warned, are being released without receiving treatment.
Criticism was also directed at recent spending decisions, including €15 million allocated to 30 single-occupancy modular units in open prisons at Loughan House and Shelton Abbey. The POA questioned why similar investment has not been directed towards high-pressure facilities such as Mountjoy Prison, which is currently holding 324 prisoners above capacity.
Deputy General Secretary Gabriel Keaveny said the situation has reached an “ongoing state of crisis”, adding that overcrowding is fuelling nearly every operational problem within the system. He said nearly 10% of prisoners are now sleeping on floors and warned that staff are facing an “impossible task” on a daily basis.
He also highlighted a sharp rise in contraband entering prisons, including more than 400 suspected drone drops this year alone. Drug seizures are up 28%, mobile phone seizures have risen 31%, and weapon seizures have increased by 70%.
Violence indicators have also escalated, with aggressive behaviour up 161% and physical interventions by staff rising 28%. Keaveny said these trends are a direct result of overcrowding, adding that “the bully thrives and the vulnerable suffers in silence” in such conditions.
The POA has called for urgent action from the Department of Justice, warning that continued inaction risks further deterioration of safety for both staff and inmates.
