Judge finds overcrowding is major problem in women's jail
The Inspector of Prisons says overcrowding is the single greatest problem in the country's largest jail for women.
The Dochas Centre in Dublin is designed to accommodate a maximum of 105 inmates.
However, during one inspection by Judge Michael Reilly on June 19 last, there were 141 prisoners in the facility.
His interim report also says homelessness is a huge issue for women on their release from the Dochas Centre.
Judge Reilly also noted that the vast majority of inmates are committed for sentences of less than three months.
The Justice Minister Alan Shatter says the Director General of the Irish Prison Service Michael Donnellan has assured him that the concerns raised are being dealt with.
