The Aontú leader highlights how Midlands prison – where four inmates overdosed after a drone drug delivery – has 125 inmates on mattresses.
Aontú data has revealed that overcrowding in Irish prisons is at 832 above capacity, with Midlands prison being the worst affected regarding inmates sleeping on floors.
The latest figures were revealed in a response to an Aontú parliamentary question to the Minister for Justice.
Deputy Tóibín said: “One of the most crowded is the Midlands prison, which was in the news this week after four prisoners overdosed when a drone dropped drugs into the yard.
“Something has gone seriously wrong when lethal drugs can be airdropped into a jail, causing potentially fatal overdoses of those in there.
“Now we see that the Midlands prison is the jail that is experiencing the worst effects of overcrowding. It is 179 prisoners over capacity and has 125 on mattresses.
“The high-security Portlaoise prison is 81 over capacity. Limerick is 65 over-full with 40 mattresses on the floor and Cloverhill has 43 on mattresses. This all points to a system bursting at the seams and it has its effects, as we saw with the drone drop hospitalisations.
“But it’s also leading to early releases, which is a danger to public safety and undermines the justice system. Our previous data showed 1,000 prisoners were released within 24 hours of being sent to jail.
“Meanwhile the abandoned super prison Thornton Hall – bought 20 years ago for massive money to deal with overcrowded prisons– lies vacant and unused.
“When asked about this last year, the Minister for Justice said a masterplan would be developed for Thornton Hall. Where is the masterplan?”
