Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration

1. In this article in the Irish Examiner dated 01 July 2024, a Department of Justice statement was reported as saying that ‘a “multi-agency Prison Overcrowding Response Group” has identified a number of proposals to address overcrowding." Separately, in the Written Answer to Question 316 on 02 July 2024, the Minister for Justice stated: "The multi-agency Prison Overcrowding Response Group, which was formed in 2023, has considered a number of measures which are now being implemented by the Irish Prison Service." These point to the possibility that there might be a Prison Overcrowding Response Group Report or other specific documentation which states precisely what the identified proposals/agreed measures are which are being implemented to address prison overcrowding. Could you please release such a report or documentation to me? 2. In the same Written Answer linked to above, the Minister for Justice also states: "In that regard, the criteria for participation in the Community Return and Community Support Schemes were updated last year." Could you please release a document, email, report, policy or other text that contains these new criteria for participation in the Community Return and Community Support Schemes?