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30. Prisons and Places of Detention

Updated to 24 June 2026 (Act No. 11 of 2026 and S.I. No. 284 of 2026)

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► 30.1. General Organisation of Prison Service

Justice	► Prisons (Ireland) Act 1826 none	7 Geo. 4, c. 74
Justice	► Prisons (Ireland) Act 1840 none	3 & 4 Vict., c. 44
Justice	► Convict Prisons (Ireland) Act 1854 none	17 & 18 Vict., c. 76
Justice	► Prisons (Ireland) Act 1856 none	19 & 20 Vict., c. 68
Justice	► General Prisons (Ireland) Act 1877 none	40 & 41 Vict., c. 49
Justice	► Prison Service (Ireland) Act 1883 none	46 & 47 Vict., c. 25
Justice	► Prisons (Ireland) Amendment Act 1884 none	47 & 48 Vict., c. 36
Justice	► Prisons Act 1898 none	61 & 62 Vict., c. 41
Justice	► Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill-health) Act 1913 none	3 & 4 Geo. 5, c. 4
Justice ¹	► Prisons Act 1933 Galway Prison Closing Order 1939, S.R.& O. No. 87 of 1939 ² Waterford Prison Closing Order 1939, S.R.& O. No. 349 of 1939 Cork Prison Closing Order 1956, S.I. No. 20 of 1956 Sligo Prison Closing Order 1956, S.I. No. 98 of 1956 Shanganagh Castle (Place of Detention) (Closure) Order 2002, S.I. No. 620 of 2002 The Curragh (Closure) Order 2006, S.I. No. 634 of 2006 Saint Patrick’s Institution Partial Closing Order 2013, S.I. No. 459 of 2013 Wheatfield Prison Partial Closing Order 2013, S.I. No. 512 of 2013 Saint Patrick’s Institution Partial Closing Order 2014, S.I. No. 85 of 2014	51/1933
Justice	► Prisons Act 1956 none	9/1956
Justice	► Prisons Act 1970 Detention of Offenders (Shanganagh Castle) Regulations 1970, S.I. No. 313 of 1970 Detention of Offenders (Loughan House) Regulations 1973, S.I. No. 60 of 1973 Detention of Offenders (Training Unit) Regulations 1975, S.I. No. 251 of 1975 Detention of Offenders (Shelton Abbey) Regulations 1976, S.I. No. 293 of 1976 Detention of Offenders (Fort Mitchel) Regulations 1985, S.I. No. 104 of 1985 Prisons Act 1970 (Section 7) Order 1991, S.I. No. 158 of 1991 ³ Prisons Act 1970 (Section 7) Order 1993, S.I. No. 219 of 1993 ⁴ Detention of Offenders (Unit A Castlerea) Regulations 1996, S.I. No. 361 of 1996 Detention of Offenders (The Curragh) Regulations 1996, S.I. No. 390 of 1996 Detention of Offenders (Restrictions on Privileges) Regulations 1997, S.I. No. 116 of 1997 Detention of Offenders (Castlerea) Regulations 1998, S.I. No. 158 of 1998 Prisons Act 1970 (Section 7) Order 2013, S.I. No. 223 of 2013 ⁵ Detention of Offenders (Wheatfield Place of Detention) Regulations 2013, S.I. No. 511 of 2013 ⁶	11/1970
Justice	► Prisons Act 1972 Prisons Act, 1972 (Military Custody) Regulations 1972, S.I. No. 138 of 1972 ⁷ Prisons Act, 1972 (Military Custody) Regulations 1976, S.I. No. 87 of 1976 Prisons Act 1972 (Section 3) Order 2001, S.I. No. 461 of 2001	7/1972
Justice	► Prisons Act 1977 none	14/1977
Justice	► Prisons Act 1980 none	6/1980
Justice	► Prison Development (Confirmation of Resolutions) Act 2008 none	10/2008
Justice	► Prison Development (Confirmation of Resolutions) Act 2013 none	28/2013
Justice	► Prisons Act 2015 ⁸ Prisons Act 2015 (Section 24) Regulations 2016, S.I. No. 52 of 2016 Saint Patrick’s Institution Closing Order 2017, S.I. No. 135 of 2017 Prisons Act 2015 (Commencement) Order 2017, S.I. No. 134 of 2017	57/2015
¹ Public Exp (in part): see S.I. No. 418 of 2011. ² The earlier SIs made under this Act are spent and could be revoked. ³ Expired 28 Jun 1993, this SI should be revoked. ⁴ Expired 28 Jun 1995, this SI should be revoked. ⁵ Expired 28 Dec 2013, this SI should be revoked. ⁶ Revoked S.I. Nos. 135 of 1989 and 218 of 1990. ⁷ Responsibility of Department of Defence. ⁸ Repealed Prevention of Crime Act 1908 (8 Edw. 7, c. 59), subject to commencement order.

► 30.2. Inspector of Prisons

Justice ⁹	► Prisons Act 2007 none	10/2007
⁹ Gaeltacht (in part): S.I. No. 192 of 2011.

► 30.3. Prison Rules

Justice ¹⁰	► Prisons Act 2007 Prisons Act 2007 (Commencement) Order 2007, S.I. No. 180 of 2007 Direction Under Section 18(1) Of Prisons Act 2007, S.I. No. 251 of 2007 Prison Rules 2007, S.I. No. 252 of 2007 Prisons Act 2007 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2007, S.I. No. 370 of 2007 Prisons Act 2007 (Commencement) (No. 3) Order 2007, S.I. No. 650 of 2007 Prisons Act 2007 (Commencement) Order 2008, S.I. No. 337 of 2008 Direction under Section 18(1) of Prisons Act 2007, S.I. No. 240 of 2012 Prison Rules (Amendment) 2013, S.I. No. 11 of 2013 Prison (Amendment) Rules 2014, S.I. No. 227 of 2014 Prison (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2014, S.I. No. 385 of 2014 Prison (Amendment) Rules 2017, S.I. No. 276 of 2017 Prison (Amendment) Rules 2018, S.I. No. 507 of 2018 Prison (Disciplinary Code for Officers) (Revocation) Rules 2020, S.I. No. 261 of 2020 Prison (Amendment) Rules 2020, S.I. No. 250 of 2020	10/2007
¹⁰ Local Gov (in part): S.I. No. 339 of 2020. Gaeltacht (in part): S.I. No. 192 of 2011. Public Exp (in part): see S.I. No. 418 of 2011.

► 30.4. Temporary Release and Parole

Justice	► Criminal Justice Act 1960 Prisoners (Temporary Release) Rules 1960, S.I. No. 167 of 1960 Temporary Release of Offenders (Shanganagh Castle) Rules 1970, S.I. No. 312 of 1970 Temporary Release of Offenders (Loughan House) Rules 1973, S.I. No. 59 of 1973 Temporary Release of Offenders (Training Unit) Rules 1975, S.I. No. 250 of 1975 Temporary Release of Offenders (Shelton Abbey) Regulations 1976, S.I. No. 294 of 1976 Temporary Release of Offenders (Fort Mitchel) Rules 1985, S.I. No. 103 of 1985 Temporary Release of Offenders (Wheatfield) Rules 1989, S.I. No. 136 of 1989 Temporary Release of Offenders (Unit A Castlerea) Rules 1996, S.I. No. 360 of 1996 Temporary Release of Offenders (The Curragh) Rules 1996, S.I. No. 391 of 1996 Temporary Release of Offenders (Castlerea) Rules 1998, S.I. No. 157 of 1998 Prisoners (Temporary Release) Rules 2004, S.I. No. 680 of 2004	27/1960
Justice	► Criminal Justice (Release of Prisoners) Act 1998 none	36/1998
Justice	► Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 (Commencement) Order 2004, S.I. No. 679 of 2004	34/2003
Justice	► Parole Act 2019 Parole Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2021, S.I. No. 405 of 2021 Parole Act 2019 (Establishment Day) Order 2021, S.I. No. 406 of 2021	28/2019

► 30.5. Visiting Committees

Justice	► Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act 1925 Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order 1972, S.I. No. 217 of 1972 ¹¹	11/1925
¹¹ Made by the Minister for Defence.

► 30.6. Transfer of Prisoners Internationally

Justice	► Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act 1995 none	16/1995
Justice	► Transfer of Sentenced Persons (Amendment) Act 1997 none	41/1997
Justice	► Transfer of Execution of Sentences Act 2005 Transfer of Execution of Sentences Act 2005 (Designated Countries) Order 2007, S.I. No. 659 of 2007	28/2005

► 30.7. ECA Section 3 Statutory Instruments

Foreign	► European Communities Act 1972 none	27/1972