National stats  show decrease in prisoners with  Limerick address  

LATEST statistics show that 5.8% of prisoners incarcerated in Ireland last year declared Limerick as their county of residence - the lowest reported figure in 10 years. 

The percentage, taken from the 2018 Irish Prison Service (IPS) Annual Report, shows that of 6,490 persons incarcerated, 376 had Limerick addresses. 

The figure has decreased from 6.2% in 2017, and from 8.2% in 2015 - the highest reported percentage since 2009. 

The report also states that the daily average number in custody in Limerick Prison last year  was 214 males and 33 females.

Limerick Prison had an operational capacity of 210 males and 28 females at the end of 2018. 

Last year, 34% of all persons committed declared Dublin as their county of residence, with Cork and Galway totalling 8.9% and 3.6% respectively. 

Of those committed, prisoners of no fixed abode accounted for 7.7%, and 4,912 were Irish Nationals (75.7%). 

A total of 6,490 persons accounted for the 8,071 committals, with this figure relating to persons newly committed to prison (i.e. not already on remand or serving another sentence). 

There was a 20.3% decrease (1,225) in the number of committals to prison under sentence in 2018 (total of 4,812) compared to 2017 (6,037). 

IPS states this reduction is mainly due to the decrease in the number of committals for non-payment of fines. 

Also outlined in the report was the cost of works that took place in 2018 to facilitate the major redevelopment of Limerick Prison. 

Last year, this ambitious project, which includes an additional cell block catering for male prisoners and a standalone female prison cost €2m.  

Meanwhile, 2018 assault figures show there were 28 incidents of prisoner-on-prisoner assault, and eight incidents of prisoner-on-staff assaults in Limerick Prison last year.