The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan today signed the contract for a new extension at the Dóchas Centre (Mountjoy Female Prison) that will increase the prison’s capacity by 52 spaces or 30%.

The Rowan House Yard Extension project supports the Minister’s commitment under the National Development Plan to boost capital investment, increase prison capacity and develop a modern fit-for-purpose prison estate. It is a key part of an extensive prison building programme to deliver over 1,500 new spaces by 2031.

The development at the Dóchas Centre involves the construction of a two-storey extension to the existing block and will provide accommodation for 52 women, increasing capacity from 172 to 224. The extension will provide for 26 individual bedrooms, which includes 13 rooms on both the ground and first floor. All rooms are designed for double occupancy.

The project will commence construction in September 2026, with practical completion expected in Q4 2027.

Minister O’Callaghan said:

“Today marks a significant step forward with the signing of the Rowan House contract at the Dóchas Centre. This project will deliver 52 additional spaces, increasing overall capacity from 172 to 224 spaces. The expansion represents a key component of our ongoing capital investment to directly alleviate overcrowding and ensure a safer, more rehabilitative environment within our prisons.

 “This is a key project in the largest ever building programme in the prison estate, which will deliver an additional 1,500 prison spaces by 2031. It reflects my determination and commitment to invest in the prison estate, to make our communities safer and to offer meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation.

 “This development continues the extensive work being undertaken to confront overcrowding and modernise our prisons.”

Caron McCaffrey, Director General of the Irish Prison Service said:

“The Rowan House extension is an essential development for the Dóchas Centre. Alongside the new 26 spaces delivered earlier this year, this new project will further strengthen the Centre’s capacity to meet the needs of women in custody.

 “For too long, accommodation pressures have placed real strain on the standard of living we aim to provide. This extension will deliver modern, safe and purpose built spaces that support dignity and wellbeing. Today’s contract signing marks an important step in strengthening the infrastructure of the Dóchas Centre for the years ahead.”

Minister O’Callaghan has secured a record capital investment of €67.9 million for the Irish Prison Service in 2026, as part of a total investment of €528 million from 2026 to 2030. A total of €495 million will be invested in building projects to deliver on a plan to build over 1,500 prison spaces by 2031.

On 23 July, Minister O’Callaghan signed the contract for the construction of a new accommodation block at Cloverhill Prison which will increase capacity in the prison from 433 to over 700 spaces. This represents the largest single building project undertaken by the Irish Prison Service in several years.

Construction has also commenced at Castlerea Prison to deliver a further 199 spaces by 2028.

This capital programme will include a large extension to the existing Cork Prison on the site of the old, decommissioned Cork Prison, a new block in Wheatfield, and an additional block extension at Midlands Prison. This is in addition to further spaces at Mountjoy and Limerick male prisons.

Minister O’Callaghan also welcomed the publication today of the Irish Prison Service’s Annual Report for 2025, which provides an overview of the work of the Irish Prison Service during 2025, with emphasis on the significant challenges presented by sustained overcrowding pressures.

Throughout the year, the Irish Prison Service continued to manage those in custody while supporting rehabilitation and reintegration under unprecedented demands on the system. Despite these challenges, staff across all prisons continued to provide safe, professional, and humane services to those in custody, demonstrating exceptional commitment in demanding circumstances.

The report highlights the pressure on the prison system during 2025. By 31 December 2025, there were 5,753 people in custody, with a total bed capacity of 4,718, representing 122% of capacity. The daily average number in custody rose to 5,417, an increase of 9.6%, while immigration-related committals more than doubled.

In 2025, the Irish Prison Service recruited an additional 304 Recruit Prison Officers, 24 Prison Clerical Officers and 24 Prison Nurses.

Speaking on the publication of the report, Minister O’Callaghan said:

“The Irish Prison Service’s 2025 Annual Report highlights the professionalism and dedication of Irish Prison Service staff and their exceptional commitment under demanding circumstances.

 “The government will continue to invest in the Irish Prison Service to ensure its staff feel safe and supported in their jobs and continue the vital work they do in keeping our communities safe and helping those in their care to rehabilitate.”

IPS Director General Caron McCaffrey said:

“The 2025 Annual Report highlights important progress in expanding capacity, strengthening infrastructure and advancing rehabilitation supports across the prison estate. It also sets out clearly the scale of the pressures facing the prison system, with sustained overcrowding impacting daily operations throughout the year.

 “Despite these challenges, staff across all prisons and Directorates continued to work with professionalism and commitment in exceptionally demanding circumstances. I want to acknowledge their dedication, which remains central to the effective operation of the Irish Prison Service.”

ENDS …///

Notes For Editors

Prison building programme

• The Rowan House Yard Extension project forms part of the Government’s National Development Plan 2026-2030.
• Minister Jim O’Callaghan sought and secured an exemption from the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for 6 projects (960 prison spaces) to move straight to Approval Gate 2 – Pre Tender Approval of the Infrastructure Guidelines, a measure which is speeding up the delivery of these projects.
• The record capital allocation will also allow for work to start on the planning and development of a new prison on the Thornton site in North County Dublin. A master plan for the site is expected to be developed this year. As construction and expansion projects within existing prison facilities can be completed more quickly and at lower cost than developing new prisons, the prison capacity strategy is initially focused on maximising capacity across the current estate. These projects are expected to deliver over 1,500 new spaces by 2031.

Current Irish Prison Service projects

• Since 2024, 292 additional spaces have been constructed across the prison estate.
• Construction on the Castlerea Harristown Block started on 9 February 2026. This project will deliver spaces for up to 68 men in 2028.
• A contract for The Grove Housing Development Project (Phase 2) at Castlerea has been awarded and construction commenced. This will deliver accommodation for 126 men in 2028.
• The extension to D Wing at Cloverhill will deliver 270 new spaces in 2029.
• Tendering is in progress at Midlands prison Circular Landings where 70 spaces will be delivered in 2027.
• Planning has started for a new additional wing in the Midlands prison where 180 spaces will be delivered in 2030.
• The project to extend Cork prison will see approximately 330 spaces delivered.
• Wheatfield New Block will deliver 100 new spaces in 2031. Tendering will start in 2028 with construction expected to commence in 2029.
• Mountjoy Separation Unit Footprint will deliver 150 new spaces and a mental health therapeutic facility by 2032. Tendering will start in 2028 with construction expected to commence in 2029.

The prisons capital plan is continuously kept under review and spaces and designs may change as projects progress.

This year’s Annual Report can be found here: Irish Prison Service Annual Report 2025

Previous Annual Reports are available here: Annual Reports – Irish Prison Service