669. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the proposed new wing, for the planned extension at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise recently approved by Cabinet as part of a fast-tracked expansion, is to be constructed on the site currently occupied by the prison's award-winning horticulture facility; if so, the rationale for dismantling a nationally-recognised rehabilitation and e…
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Ken O'Flynn under the heading Prison Service.
71 questions match, newest first.
670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the actions his Department is taking to establish a standardised and comprehensive data-recording framework for drone-related contraband incidents across the prison estate, including the development of specific incident classifications or codes for use by both the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána, so that investigations, arre…
671. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will direct the Irish Prison Service to publish an annual statistical report on drone incursions into prisons, including institution-level incident numbers, contraband recovered, and associated outcomes notified to his Department by An Garda Síochána, in a manner that does not compromise operational security; and if he will make …
672. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a formal written risk assessment on drone incursions into prisons is currently in place; the risk rating applied to drone-enabled contraband within the prison security framework; and if he will lay before Dáil Éireann a redacted summary setting out the main vulnerabilities identified, the mitigation measures underway, and the residu…
416. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of recorded drone incursions at each prison in the State in the past five years, broken down by year and by institution, and the types of contraband recovered from those incidents. [67737/25]
417. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total quantity and classification of contraband recovered following drone incursions into prisons since 2020, including drugs, weapons, mobile phones, SIM cards, and other prohibited items. [67738/25]
418. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current security technology in place in each prison to detect, deter, or disable drone incursions; the date each system was installed; and the planned upgrades for 2026. [67739/25]
419. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current staffing levels assigned to perimeter security in each prison; the standard operating procedures for responding to drone incursions; and the number of times these procedures were activated in the past three years. [67740/25]
420. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of criminal investigations initiated as a result of drone-related contraband entering the prison system since 2020; the number of arrests; the number of charges; and the number of convictions secured. [67741/25]
421. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has conducted any assessment of links between drone-delivered contraband and organised criminal groups; and if he will outline the findings of any such assessments. [67742/25]
422. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the estimated financial impact on the prison system arising from drone-related contraband since 2020, including security responses, detection equipment, staff overtime, drug-treatment interventions, and property damage. [67743/25]
423. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will publish the most recent internal risk assessment relating to drone incursions into prisons, including risk ratings, mitigation measures, and outstanding vulnerabilities identified. [67744/25]
424. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has examined international counter-drone models used in the UK, Canada, or the Netherlands for prison protection; and if he will provide details of any pilot projects or procurement considerations underway. [67745/25]
425. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether additional statutory powers are required by the Prison Service or An Garda Síochána to disable or intercept drones approaching prison facilities; and if he will outline any planned legislative proposals. [67746/25]
743. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the criteria and risk assessment processes used by the Irish Prison Service when granting temporary release to prisoners convicted of violent offences, including offences involving assault, weapons, and robbery; and if she is satisfied that current procedures adequately protect public safety. [63009/25]
744. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners currently on temporary release who are subject to electronic monitoring or supervision orders; and if she will review the monitoring protocols to ensure compliance and public protection. [63010/25]
745. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the recidivism rate among prisoners granted temporary release in each of the past five years; and the number who have reoffended while on such release, in tabular form. [63011/25]
746. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the ongoing practice of temporary release is linked to prison overcrowding or capacity constraints; the current occupancy rate across the prison estate; and the measures being taken to address this without compromising community safety [63012/25]
747. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if victims of crime are notified or consulted prior to the temporary release of offenders convicted of serious or violent crimes; and if he plans to introduce reforms to strengthen victims’ rights in the release decision process.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63013/25]
461. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the payments made by the Irish Prison Service to podcasts, influencers, or media outlets since 1 January 2020; the recipient in each case; the amount paid; the purpose of the expenditure and the year in which it was made, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53851/25]
462. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the Irish Prison Service has made any payments to persons (details supplied) since 1 January 2020; and if so, the total amount, the number of payments, the date of each payment; and the procurement basis for each. [53852/25]
463. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the details of the procurement process undertaken in respect of the nearly €25,000 payment by the Irish Prison Service to persons (details supplied); if a formal tender was conducted; and if he will provide the business case or approval note underpinning this expenditure. [53853/25]
464. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any Irish Prison Service payments to podcasts, influencers, or media outlets since 1 January 2020 were made in multiple tranches of under €25,000 each; and if he will clarify whether this practice was used to avoid triggering public tender thresholds. [53854/25]
465. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is satisfied that all Irish Prison Service expenditure on podcasts, influencers, and media outlets since 2020 has complied fully with public procurement law and with the Department’s internal governance requirements; and if he will outline the oversight his Department exercised in approving these expenditures. [53855/25]
466. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total expenditure by the Irish Prison Service on consultancy, media services, and public relations between 1 January 2020 and 30 September 2025; if he will provide a breakdown by year; and if he will specify which contracts were subject to open competitive tender. [53856/25]