Minister Helen McEntee allocates €50m to Irish prisons amid calls for her resignation

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has announced an allocation of approximately €50 million to Irish prisons amid calls for her resignation. 

In a post published on X (formerly Twitter) this afternoon (April 10), Minister McEntee confirmed additional funding of €49.5 million for the Irish Prison Service to address current capacity issues. 

The funding will also go towards ensuring the service is "fit for purpose for a growing population in the years to come". 

It comes as the new Taoiseach, Simon Harris, yesterday (April 9) confirmed the minister will remain in her role as head of the Department of Justice. 

As the Taoiseach announced the news, several background interruptions could be heard from other TDs in the Dáil. 

Minister McEntee has faced a number of calls to resign since the Dublin riots in November 2023, during which vandals and protesters caused extensive damage around the capital city. 

She has also faced criticism for drafting the Hate Speech Bill, which many have condemned as totalitarian and restrictive, as well as her insistence that Dublin City is safe despite a number of recent serious assaults. 

Sinn Féin tabled a failed motion of no confidence in the minister following the Dublin riots, with Aontú launching a petition calling for her resignation. 

The Aontú petition reads: "...The Minister for Justice has been distracted by the Culture Wars for a long period of time forgetting about the bread and butter issues that have been plaguing our communities. The Minister for Justice has sought to jail people for speech and peaceful protest. She has allowed Garda numbers and morale to collapse. Yet she has refused to do job she's paid to do, keep people safe. She should resign." 

The minister also drew criticism after congratulating Simon Harris on his appointment as Taoiseach after referring to him as her "good friend". 

Her X post reads: "Massive congratulations to my good friend Simon Harris on becoming Taoiseach today. I look forward to working closely with him in the years ahead." 

X users flooded to the comments to express their ire, with one user writing, "For years ahead? I wouldn't be so optimistic. Clearly both of you have not read the crowd." 

Another X user commented, "‘Good friend’… That explains why you kept your job. Little does Harris know that ironically, leaving you in your job will probably cost him his job in the not too distant future." 

Another comment reads: "Would prefer to read he was a good professional rather than a good friend. But maybe that's just me." 

Another X user commented, "He's basically thrown away the slim chance of being re-elected by keeping you as Minister for Justice. A role you are not capable or qualified for. Your biggest problem though is being completely out of touch with the mood of the electorate." 

Dozens of other commenters called for her resignation. 

As part of Minister McEntee's latest additional allocation to the Irish Prison Service, preparatory work will begin this year on four key projects in Cloverhill, Castlerea, Midlands and Mountjoy prisons as part of an accelerated capital construction programme. 

Construction is expected to start on a phased basis in 2025 – 2027 and, when completed, space for up to 670 prisoners will reportedly be available.