The government must not repeat the same failed approach to the expansion of the prison system by treating rehabilitation as an afterthought, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on justice, said:
“With a record number of people in prisons and sleeping on floors, it’s clear that our prison system is under intolerable pressure. But simply accelerating the construction of more cells is not the solution, especially if those spaces are just more places for people to fall through the cracks.
“Yes, additional capacity is needed. But how we expand our prison system matters. For too long, prisons in Ireland have left those struggling with addiction, trauma, mental ill-health, and poverty, with little to no support to help them rebuild their lives.
“When we treat imprisonment as a dead-end rather than a turning point, we trap people in a cycle of reoffending. That cycle comes at an enormous cost – to victims of crime, to communities, and to the prisoners themselves.
“If this government is serious about reducing crime and supporting safer communities, it must ensure that these new prison spaces are not just more beds and bars – but places where people can access education, mental health care, addiction services, and meaningful rehabilitation.
“We need a smarter, more compassionate, and evidence-based approach. Otherwise, we’re not building a justice system – we’re just expanding the same broken cycle, brick by brick.”
June 4, 2025