Immigration-related committals up 112%
The sharp rise in immigration‑related prison committals — up 112% in a single year to 444 cases – has been criticised by the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT).
The IRPT stated that detention for immigration purposes should be exceptional, proportionate and decided on a case-by-case basis.
Overstretched
“Prison is not an appropriate environment for people to be held on an administrative basis, and this practice places unnecessary additional pressure on an already overstretched system,” said executive director Saoirse Brady (small picture).
Despite a modest increase in committals, the overall prison system is now operating well above its designed capacity, with overcrowding worsening and rehabilitation opportunities diminishing, the IPRT also stated.
It called for a more humane system of evidence‑based alternatives such as bail supports, supervised temporary release schemes and community sanctions.
Responding to publication of the Irish Prison Service's (IPS) annual report 2025, the body expressed its concern at the State's ongoing reliance on imprisonment for short sentences and remand and the continued rise in prison costs.
The report shows that the average annual cost of a staffed prison space has risen to €103,334, a 4.3% increase on 2024.
The IRPT said the escalating expenditure, driven by increased numbers of people detained, inflation and payroll pressures highlights, shows the need for a move away from prison towards effective community-based alternatives, particularly for those on remand or for those serving sentences of less than 12 months.
Although overall committals increased by just 1.1% in 2025, the daily average prison population rose by 9.6% she added.
And 74% of remand prisoners last year did not go on to serve a sentence, and the high number of short sentences are major contributors to overcrowding, she stated.
Last resort
Prison should be a sanction of last resort, Brady continued, and short sentences do little to reduce reoffending and come at enormous human and financial cost.
“Continuing to use prison for minor offending is neither effective nor sustainable,” she stated.
“Overcrowding is undermining rehabilitation, safety and dignity. Some people continue to sleep on mattresses on the floor — a clear breach of basic human rights,” she stated.