Budget makes NI prisons 'increasingly challenging'

The work of the prison service in Northern Ireland is "increasingly challenging in the context of increasing budget pressures", its director general has said.

The director general of the prison service in Northern Ireland, Beverley Wall, has described the challenges faced by the service as "increasingly challenging" due to budget pressures.

This comes as the daily prison population in Northern Ireland has increased by 12.8% between 2022 and 2023. The male and female prison populations have both seen rises, and the number of prisoners released on remand has reached its highest point in the last eight years.

Ms. Wall highlighted that many of the prisoners have significant addiction and mental health issues, making the situation even more complex.