The remarks came during the sentencing of Sifoso Mpobole (39), of Alverno Drive, Willow Park, Athlone, Co Westmeath.

Jim O’Callaghan said he did not believe 'prisons are the solution to all of the ills of society', instead saying a 'combined approach' was needed.

The annual report of the Mountjoy Prison Visiting Committee (MPVC) for 2024 highlighted the overcrowding situation in the prison.

That is one of the findings from the Irish Penal Reform Trust's 2024 progress report.

The annual report on penal statistics in prisons by the Council of Europe identified Ireland as one of 15 countries in Europe where prisons have more inmates than places available.

The correspondence was sent in 2024 on a day in May when there were 4,960 people in the custody of the Irish Prison Service (IPS); that number has since risen as high as 5,400.

The judge said the woman 'will probably spend longer travelling to Limerick than she will in prison'