Topics / Prison Service

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Prison Service

493 questions from 78 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.

493
questions
486 written, 7 oral
78
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
7
departments asked

Questions per month

The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.

Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
MonthQuestions
January 20259
February 202527
March 202514
April 202523
May 202523
June 202525
July 202551
August 20250
September 202546
October 202525
November 202531
December 202524
January 202637
February 202619
March 202618
April 202616
May 202665
June 202611
July 202612
August 20260
September 20268
October 20269

Who asks, by party

The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.

  • Aontú33 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil63 from 20 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael102 from 14 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party4 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent14 from 5 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland71 from 1 TD · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party34 from 8 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity4 from 2 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin114 from 20 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 77
  2. 71
  3. 44
  4. 35
  5. 24
  6. 21
  7. 17
  8. 14

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Peadar Tóibín Written 13 May 2026 · to Justice
147. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any failures in prison conditions, monitoring, or duty of care have been identified; and what actions or policy changes are being taken in response to this incident (details supplied). [35577/26]
Peadar Tóibín Written 13 May 2026 · to Justice
162. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the reasons for the near 18-year delay in fully implementing electronic monitoring; to provide an update on its current roll-out; and to indicate when it will be fully operational. [35687/26]
Peadar Tóibín Written 13 May 2026 · to Justice
163. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on plans to construct a new prison at Thornton Hall, including the timeline for delivery, in light of ongoing prison overcrowding and the long-standing delays associated with the project. [35688/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 12 May 2026 · to Justice
864. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the percentage by citizenship of all prisoners currently held in Irish prisons. [35315/26]
Brian Brennan Written 6 May 2026 · to Justice
690. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the status of the discussions to extend the retirement age for prison officers from 62 years on a voluntary basis; when any possible changes will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33231/26]
Sean Fleming Written 28 Apr 2026 · to Health
1217. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE physiotherapists, by grade posts, filled within Laois older persons services as of 17 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30328/26]
Ivana Bacik Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
1990. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which the closure of the Visitors Centre in Mountjoy Prison, which previously operated a family and child-friendly visiting space, aligns with the commitment in Young Ireland: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023 - 2028 to "establish a child-friendly visiting space in every prison in Ireland, and…
Martin Kenny Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2069. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when a person (details supplied) will receive the proper psychiatric placement they require; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25293/26]
Johnny Guirke Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2081. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures he is taking to expand capacity in the prison system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25346/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2100. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the specific supports, services, and clinical care that have been provided to remand prisoners with acute mental illness in Irish prisons since January 2026; the number of staff, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurses, that have been assigned to deliver this care; the protocols which exist to ensure timely access to assess…
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2101. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current certified operational capacity of Cork Prison; the current average daily occupancy for each month in 2025 and to date in 2026; the policy measures in place to address persistent overcrowding; and the timeline for any planned capacity expansion or alternative custodial arrangements. [25641/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2102. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether minimum accommodation standards, including access to a bed, are being met in Cork Prison; the number and proportion of prisoners required to sleep on mattresses on a nightly basis in 2025 and to date in 2026; and the actions being taken to eliminate this practice. [25642/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2103. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners in Cork Prison currently awaiting access to psychological services; the average waiting time for assessment and treatment; the staffing levels allocated to prison psychology services in Cork; and any plans to increase capacity. [25643/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2104. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prisoners in Cork Prison currently awaiting addiction treatment services; the providers contracted to deliver these services; the annual funding allocated; and the steps being taken to ensure timely access to treatment. [25644/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2105. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the Department has assessed the number of prisoners released from Cork Prison without receiving recommended psychological or addiction treatment in each of the past three years; and the policy implications of such outcomes for reoffending and public safety. [25645/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2106. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the extent to which overcrowding impacts clinician access within Cork Prison; whether any formal risk assessments have been conducted regarding reduced access to clinical services; and if so, to provide details. [25646/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2107. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Justice the national average rates of prisoners awaiting psychological and addiction treatment; how Cork Prison compares; and whether Cork has been identified as a priority site for intervention. [25647/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2108. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the Department has assessed the effectiveness of delivering psychological and addiction services to prisoners serving short sentences; and whether alternative community-based or post-release treatment pathways are being developed. [25648/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2109. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration how current levels of overcrowding in Cork Prison impact the delivery of the Irish Prison Service rehabilitation strategy; and whether any elements of that strategy are currently not being delivered as intended [25650/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2110. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether additional capital investment, modular accommodation, or non-custodial sentencing reforms are under consideration to address overcrowding in Cork Prison; and the timelines associated with same [25651/26]
Ann Graves Written 14 Apr 2026 · to Justice
2117. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Prison Officers that left or retired from the Irish Prison Service in 2025. [25736/26]
Erin McGreehan Written 26 Mar 2026 · to Justice
346. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his proposals with regard to alleviating the current overcrowding within prisons; if his Department or the Irish Prison Service carried out a risk and impact assessment with regard to the current levels of overcrowding within prisons relevant to dangers it poses to inmates and dangers to prison officers and staff; if such an assessm…
Pa Daly Written 25 Mar 2026 · to Justice
193. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the addiction services and therapeutic supports available to prisoners in each prison in the State; the number of therapists, psychologists and counsellors employed annually from 2020 to 2025; the number of hours of such services delivered in each prison during that period, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2…
Gary Gannon Written 25 Mar 2026 · to Justice
194. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the statistics for the number of individuals on the waitlist for psychology and addiction services in the Irish Prison Service, by each prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22612/26]
Willie O'Dea Written 24 Mar 2026 · to Justice
700. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there is an application from an individual (details supplied) to transfer them to an Irish prison; and the current status of this application. [21893/26]