PRISON EXPANSION PLAN TO ALLOW CHANGES IN BAIL LAWS GO AHEAD

THE Government is to embark on another jail building programme in the new
year despite the provision of an extra 1,000 prison spaces.

The new programme will allow Justice Minister John O'Donoghue implement the
changes in the bail laws which are certain to increase the size of the
prison population.

There are more than 2,700 inmates in the State's jails, an increase of over
10pc on last year and a rise of 9pc on 1996.

The increase in prison spaces has meant a fall in the number of temporary
releases down 33pc in the past year from 616 to 416.

Department of Justice officials say it is impossible to predict the likely
increase in prisoners when the restrictions on bail are introduced in the
summer. The changes in the bail laws were given the green light in a
referendum held while the Rainbow government was in office but have been
delayed by a shortage of prison space.

A further one thousand jail spaces will also allow for the transfer of
prisoners out of Mountjoy to facilitate a wing by wing refurbishment
programme which is long overdue.

A new prison for 80 female offenders within the Mountjoy complex at Cowley
Place should be operational by Easter.

The new 400-space jail at Cloverhill on the existing Wheatfield site in
north Clondalkin is likely to be finished by Easter and will begin taking
remand prisoners from Mountjoy, which currently holds up to 200 remand
inmates, by the summer. It will have a courthouse on site which will reduce
the cost of prisoner transfers for remand appearances.

The new Midlands jail beside the existing high security prison in
Portlaoise should provide for 510 inmates and be operational by February
2,000.

The second phase of new spaces, although not yet fully worked out, is
likely to centre on accommodation blocks at Castlerea prison and a
redevelopment of Portlaoise where the early release of paramilitary
prisoners will allow more space to be created by ending the special
``reserved'' areas.

The extra spaces will also pave the way for a crackdown on joyriders and
other offenders who have benefited in the past from the ``revolving door''
system introduced because of a shortage of prison accommodation.