According to data from the European prison services, the Republic of Ireland has a lower percentage of foreign inmates compared to the European average, earning a ‘low’ rating from the Council of Europe. As of last year, about 14% of the Republic’s incarcerated individuals were foreign, whereas in the rest of Europe, this figure averages 27%.
Switzerland and Luxembourg have the highest percentages of foreign prisoners, with 71% and 78% respectively, while Poland and Albania have the lowest; each at below 3%. These statistics, including Ireland’s position within this ranking, are outlined in the latest annual report on penal conditions across Europe by the Council of Europe for 2023.
In the Republic of Ireland, the percentage of foreign-born individuals within the general population nears 22%, as per the latest census. The Council’s report defines ‘foreign’ inmates as those not holding the citizenship of the country in which they are imprisoned. However, it does include certain nuances, encompassing permanent residents, tourists, asylum applicants, transnational criminals and short-term labourers.
Professor Marcelo Aebi, from the University of Lausanne, led the team that congregated these statistics. He highlighted the growing problem of overcrowding within European jails, with prison populations increasing for two consecutive years following a period of decline. Aebi suggested that this resurgence could be a ‘bounce-back’ effect from the reduction witnessed during pandemic-related lockdowns and the release of prisoners in some nations.
Less than 21% of the Republic’s total 4,432 prisoners were incarcerated without a final sentence, usually due to pending court hearings or bail applications. This is 4% below the median percentage across the European landscape.
The issue of overcrowding in prisons within the Republic was found to be more severe compared to many European prison systems. For instance, as of January 2023, the average recorded was 99.4 inmates for every 100 prison slots in the Republic, as opposed to Northern Ireland’s 84.5 inmates and Europe’s average of 90.2 inmates per 100 spots.
A report indicates that the composition of mental health personnel in the penitentiaries is exceedingly insufficient.
The ratio of individuals being imprisoned in the Republic saw a surge of 12 per cent in the years 2022 and 2023, a growth rate outpacing the majority of European nations. The research finished by asserting that in nations with a population count above 500,000, only five experienced a greater escalation in their imprisonment rate in 2022 and 2023, namely Moldova with 52 per cent, followed by North Macedonia, Cyprus, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
Yet, these trends could have been irregularly swayed across Europe due to the pandemic’s impact and the variant methods adopted for prison and court management since 2020, followed by the return to usual procedures.
However, considering a broader time span from 2005 to 2023, the rate at which individuals got jailed in the Republic exhibited a rise of 10.8 per cent, an increment surpassing most neighbouring countries where fewer citizens per person were imprisoned. In contrast, Northern Ireland saw a 16.8 per cent elevation in the imprisonment rate, whereas in Scotland it remained steady, and in England and Wales, it declined by 4.6 per cent.