Darragh Mc Donagh

Prison service to shut bakery costing €660,000 a year run by Mountjoy inmates

A bakery run by inmates at Mountjoy Prison at a cost of €660,000 a year is being shut down in a bid to slash costs and enhance security. The bakery, which has been used as a model for prisons in other jurisdictions, produces hundreds of loaves of bread each day. Following that, these are supplied to the five places of detention located in Dublin. The annual cost of operating the facility is around €660,000, which includes staffing and ingredients for bread and other baked goods. Furthermore, the cost of sourcing bread from external suppliers has been estimated at €550,000.

Training Facility

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has decided to phase out the bakery at Mountjoy Prison, replacing it with a training facility for aspiring bakers. The Mountjoy bakery was the inspiration for a similar project at Hydebank Wood prison for women and young offenders in Belfast. This was designed to produce around 2,000 loaves per week for detention facilities in the region. As a result, the replacement training facility at Mountjoy will provide certified education in baking skills to inmates. They will be able to attain a Level 6 Special Purpose Award in the discipline.

Cost of Bakery

“In addition to enhancing security, this change will reduce costs,” said Mr O’Callaghan. Adding, "Based on the current number of people in custody, the cost of providing bread to Dublin prisons is approximately €550,000 per annum." “The present cost, based on ingredients and staffing, is approximately €660,000 per annum." “The IPS provides a range of purposeful activity and valuable skills to assist people on their journey to rehabilitation and employment on release. “There are over 120 workshops and service activities across the prison estate with a current capacity, including gyms, of 1,784.” For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.