Victor Boyhan: Mountjoy at 122% - 145 Sleeping on Floor
Victor Boyhan called for an urgent parliamentary debate after the follow-up inspection report on Mountjoy Prison was laid before the Oireachtas on 4 February 2026. He highlighted alarming overcrowding figures and pressed the Minister for Justice to schedule a detailed House debate.
Victor Boyhan opened by acknowledging Chief Inspector Mark Kelly and described the follow-up inspection as deeply troubling. He quoted the Inspector's figures showing Mountjoy operating at 122% capacity, with 90 men on mattresses on the floor during the inspection and 145 by December 2025.
Boyhan emphasised that certain inspection reports are required by legislation to be laid before the Houses and said he has requested twice that the matter be brought before the House. He urged that every member should read the summary report and called for a substantive debate involving the Minister for Justice.
The follow-up report has already received extensive broadcast and print coverage. Boyhan framed the issue in terms of human dignity and human rights, stressing that the conditions described in the Inspector of Prisons report demand immediate parliamentary attention.
Boyhan asked the Leader to schedule the debate as soon as possible so the House can scrutinise the findings and question the Minister for Justice directly. The video records his formal request and the statistics he quoted from the inspection report.
Key findings and immediate demand
Victor Boyhan opened by acknowledging Chief Inspector Mark Kelly and described the follow-up inspection as deeply troubling. He quoted the Inspector's figures showing Mountjoy operating at 122% capacity, with 90 men on mattresses on the floor during the inspection and 145 by December 2025.
Legislative and procedural concerns
Boyhan emphasised that certain inspection reports are required by legislation to be laid before the Houses and said he has requested twice that the matter be brought before the House. He urged that every member should read the summary report and called for a substantive debate involving the Minister for Justice.
Public coverage and context
The follow-up report has already received extensive broadcast and print coverage. Boyhan framed the issue in terms of human dignity and human rights, stressing that the conditions described in the Inspector of Prisons report demand immediate parliamentary attention.
Next steps and consequences
Boyhan asked the Leader to schedule the debate as soon as possible so the House can scrutinise the findings and question the Minister for Justice directly. The video records his formal request and the statistics he quoted from the inspection report.
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Transcript
Thank you Comhairleach. Leader, I'd like to raise the issue of the inspection report or the follow-up inspection report. A follow-up in relation to an earlier report by the Inspector of Prisons in Mountjoy Prison and at the very outset I want to acknowledge the amazing work and appreciation for the Chief Inspector of our Prison Services Mark Kelly. Now I have requested twice that this matter would come to this House. It is so important. I suppose one of the things that's really important to say is that certain reports are required in legislation to be laid before the Houses. This report was laid before the Oireachtas back on the 4th of February 2026 so I'd say within days of that I might have made my first ask. But really what is disturbing is this report should be read by every member of the House. It's a summary report. The Inspector has started off these unannounced inspections of the prison and effectively it's every three years. He cannot, he does not have the resources or the time to go around every one of them but he details a great number of issues and concerns in relation to the deplorable conditions of the prison. I'm not going to relay all of them now because I'm looking forward to a very substantive debate in this House and I'd like to again call Leader for a meeting with the, a debate in this House with the Minister for Justice and I specifically ask for the Minister for Justice. This report was discovered and it was debated at great length on RTE, in its current affairs programs, it was covered by the media and I just want to quote one line out of this report. He says, the Inspector says, on the first day of my 2025 follow-up inspection, this was the follow-up inspection of a damning earlier report, he says, inspection, there was 986 people in custody in Mountjoy. The prison was operating at 122% capacity and there were 90 men sleeping on mattresses on the floor. By December 2025, Mountjoy Prison was attempting to house 1089 men with 145 people consigned to mattresses on the floor. It is really a disgrace and we, it's about, you know, human dignity and human rights so I ask Minister that we would have as early as possible to fit it into our schedule, to fill out our days. I would like to have a very detailed debate on this particular issue. Thank you.