Prison bed expansion will have major impact on local court systems says TD

Expanding local prison spaces will have a major impact on the courts process in the Shannonside region.

Castlerea Prison will receive an extra 150 spaces and Midlands Prison will get an extra 180 as part of plans to boost capacity.

Senior Ministers are considering plans to add an extra 960 prison spaces over the next five years.

It’s in a bid to tackle overcrowding with an 11 per cent rise in prisoners over the past year.

Castlerea Prison is currently at 118 percent capacity with 439 prisoners in custody.

Local Sinn Fein TD and former party justice spokesperson Martin Kenny says low capacity is having a major effect on local courts: