Overcrowding in prisons currently at a crisis point

The Irish Prison Officer's Association say that overcrowding in prisons is currently at a crisis point.

At the end of June, the number of inmates in the country's prisons passed the 5 thousand mark for the first time ever - that's nearly 500 over capacity.

Concern is now being expressed that the levels of overcrowding could led to a violent outburst.

Deputy General Secretary of the Irish Prison Officer's Association, and Sligo native, Gabriel Keaveny says that any solutions that they have offered have been shot down.