New figures show inmate numbers have climbed from 1,399 in 2021 to 2,062 this year, placing mounting pressure on Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank Wood prisons.

Maghaberry recorded its highest-ever population on May 1, with 1,396 inmates compared with 881 four years earlier. Around half are on remand, previously closed accommodation blocks have been reopened and about 40 per cent of prisoners are sharing cells.

Magilligan is also operating at capacity, housing 503 inmates compared with 413 in 2021, while Hydebank Wood’s population has increased from 105 to 163.

Assaults on prison officers rose from 64 in 2016 to 84 last year, while confiscations of illicit drugs and prescription medication increased from 585 in 2021 to 755 in 2025.

Justice Minister Naomi Long warned that overcrowding and unsuitable accommodation contribute to “instability, incidents and violence”, but said severe budget pressures were limiting efforts to modernise the prison estate.

A Department of Justice spokesperson said overcrowding’s link to adverse outcomes was “well recognised” and warned that wider cross-departmental action would be required to address rising prisoner numbers.

An inspection report published in 2023 found 28 per cent of surveyed prisoners at Maghaberry said they had developed a drug problem while incarcerated, while 41 per cent said illicit drugs were easy to obtain inside the prison.