Annual cost of keeping a prisoner hits €100k

THE average annual cost of keeping a prisoner in jail rose by over 12% last year to just under €100,000, figures show.

- BY DARRAGH MCDONAGH

It's nearly 47% higher than the £56,987 (€67,496) that it costs to accommodate a prisoner for 12 months in England and Wales, and has soared by one-third since 2018.

The figure includes the cost of services provided to inmates, including education, healthcare, and work training.

It also covers expenditure related to the running of prisons but excludes capital expenditure on items like buildings, IT, and vehicles.