Construction of the project is underway which will deliver 126 spaces across 21 new housing units. 

Phase one will deliver 24 additional prison spaces and new staff offices. Overall, the project will increase the capacity of the Castlerea prison by 150 spaces. The total cost for the project is €28.08 million.

Mr O’Callaghan said the end of the first phase was an “important milestone for the Irish Prison Service and reflects my commitment to increasing prison capacity and modernising the prison estate. I was very pleased to be in Castlerea Prison to turn the sod with Irish Prison Service Director General Caron McCaffrey and Governor Theresa Beirne. I want to thank them and their teams for their work and dedicated service.

“The Castlerea Grove phase two development is a major project within the national prison estate expansion programme which will deliver an additional 126 spaces. I am pleased to confirm construction is now underway.”

The priority project supports the Government’s National Development Plan to increase capital investment to address prison overcrowding and modernise the prison estate in line with population growth.

In addition, there is a separate contract for 66 additional cell spaces within Castlerea’s main prison, representing a total increase of 216 spaces across the prison.

Mr O’Callaghan continued: “I secured a record capital investment of €67.9million for the Irish Prison Service in 2026, as part of a total investment of €528million from 2026 to 2030. €495million will be invested in building projects that will deliver over 1,500 prison spaces by 2031.

“This is the largest ever building programme and will include the Castlerea development, a large extension to the existing Cork Prison on the site of the old, decommissioned Cork Prison, a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, additional spaces in Mountjoy and the Dóchas Centre. It will also fund planning and commencement of construction of a new prison at Thornton in North County Dublin.”