The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has said that the number of criminal gangs in Irish prisons has almost doubled in the last year. The number of gangs has increased by 25% according to the IPS.
The Prison Officers' Association (POA) has said that managing the gangs has become a major logistical challenge, which is exacerbated by overcrowding.
The number of gangs has increased 15 to 34 in the last year.
The IPS segregate Hutch and Kinahan members, with Hutch affiliates in Wheatfield Prison and Kinahan associates in Mountjoy jail.
However, there are 16 seperate gang factions in Mountjoy that require management, with different groupings being let out of their cells at different times.
POA Deputy General Secretary Gabriel Keaveny said that gangs within prisons already put a huge amount of pressure on the sysetm.
IPS Director General Caron McCaffrey said that the increase in gang members within the prisons has created a major challenge, as they have to seperate members during exercise, mealtimes and visits. However, McCaffrey said that staff members have responded well to the challenge.
Prison officers have said that violence, intimidation, weapons and drug smuggling are all increasing due to overcrowding. The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) described the conditions in the country's prison as a "national scandal."
POA Acting President Peter Redmond describes the neglect in Irish prisons as their are many prisoners sleeping on floors and there are over 2,500 prisoners on a waiting list for psychological support with many leaving without assessment or treatment.
Deputy General Secretary of Prison Officers' Association Gabriel Keaveny said "prisons are in an ongoing state of crisis" due to overcrowding.
"Prisons are in an ongoing state of crisis, our members are trying to manage this on a daily basis, and all the figures are on an upward trajectory across all the various different headings. It's a truly impossible task that our members are being asked to do on a daily basis," he said.
"We've seen over 400 drone drops this year alone, we believe it's more than that. Drug seizures are up by 28%, phone seizures are up by 31%, weapon seizures are up by 70%," he said explaining that this a consequence of overcrowding.
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said there was "no quick solution" to overcrowding, but building a programme, would result in 1,500 new spaces by 2030.
