The possibility of establishing a dedicated detention centre for individuals facing deportation is being considered after reports that the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) has been bringing detainees to already overcrowded prisons without prior consultation.
Gary Gannon, justice spokesperson for the Social Democrats, described the bureau’s actions as “extraordinary”, according to The Irish Times, reports Breaking News.
He pointed to severe overcrowding at Mountjoy women’s prison, the Dóchas Centre, which was operating at 153% capacity last week.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that there were 223 women being held in Mountjoy at the time, with 29 forced to sleep on mattresses, despite the facility having a bed capacity of 146, reports Breaking News.
Addressing concerns about overcrowding, the Minister said there are plans to create an additional 65 prison spaces by 2026, including 26 new places at the Dóchas Centre, which would raise its total capacity to 172.
O’Callaghan said he did not believe that “prisons are the solution to all of the ills of society”, instead emphasising the need for a “combined approach”, as reported by The Irish Times, reports Breaking News.
He added that the Probation Service will allocate more than €21 million this year to 60 community organisations to support the delivery of various services and programmes.
He emphasised that “an awful lot of work” is underway to “facilitate women in availing of supervised temporary release”, reports Breaking News.
Speaking in the Dáil last week, Gannon raised concerns about the number of prisoners, claiming that the GNIB “is showing up at overcrowded prisons to place people into them without any consultation with the prison guards”.
The Dublin Central TD said: “That is extraordinary and it is happening on the Minister’s watch.”
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