|
| |
|
Press Release: Justice 16 May 2007
Links to:
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
Dún Laoghaire,
Environment,
Justice and
Latest Press Releases
|
|
 |
16 May 2007
Green Party calls
for action on continuing Mountjoy Prison crisis
|
Green Party Justice spokesperson
Ciarán Cuffe TD has raised serious concerns at conditions at
Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, following a recent spate of violent
attacks at the prison and continued overcrowding.
Deputy Cuffe said: "There has been a huge increase in violence in
recent months in Mountjoy Prison, including an incident where a
prisoner was viciously attacked and lost six pints of blood.
Overcrowding in Mountjoy remains a cause for extreme concern. This
problem has not been alleviated since the crisis period of the
summer of 2006. Mountjoy Prison has a bed capacity of 454, but last
night the prison accommodated over 541 inmates.
"70 inmates in the prison are currently 'on protection'. This should
mean that they are accommodated in single cells, but there is a
significant amount of cell sharing, even for prisoners on
protection. Put quite simply, this is a recipe for disaster and
another death such as the tragic killing of Gary Douche is a real
possibility. The reopening of the Curragh Prison in County Kildare
would immediately ease the pressure on Mountjoy and make it a safer
and more humane place for inmates and staff alike." |
|