Posted by It comes after a new report revealed the prison service is at breaking point due to an overcrowding crisis
THERE are 41 foreigners serving life sentences for murder in Ireland, figures show.
They include Ashling Murphy’s killer Jozef Puska, a Slovak national.
Others are Englishman Richard Satchwell, who murdered his wife Tina in Co Cork, and Muhammed Al Shaker Al Tamini, a Kuwati national who killed his eight-year-old daughter in New Ross, Co Wexford.
The killers are among 1,038 non-nationals currently being detained by the Irish Prison Service as of November 30, 2025 — the highest such figure ever.
They represent about one in six of the 5,774 inmates behind bars.
The biggest group of foreign criminals are from the EU, with 508 from the bloc.
After that, there are 149 Africans, 128 Brits, 87 Asians, 67 South Americans, 63 from other European countries, 21 inmates from the Middle East, 13 North Americans, one person from Central America and one from Oceania.
Fifty of the foreign prisoners are women and 988 men.
The figures were released by the Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan in reply to a parliamentary question from Paul Lawless, the Aontu TD for Mayo.
The minister also disclosed that 161 non-nationals are serving sentences for sexual offences — including 47 doing ten years or more.
There are 92 in custody for attempted murder, seven for kidnapping, 23 for dangerous acts, ten for robbery and hijacking, 26 for burglaries, 50 for theft, 24 for fraud and 169 for drugs offences.
Another seven are in custody for weapons and explosives crimes, 12 for damage to property, 14 for public order offences, one for offences against the Government and organisation of crime and four for unclassified offences.
The Government has recently started deporting convicted non-nationals, including those from other EU states, once they have finished their sentences.
O’Callaghan said: “This Government remains focussed on reducing re-offending and ensuring underlying causes of offending behaviour are addressed.”
‘INHUMANE OVERCROWDING’
It found that the system had regressed in 11 areas, including humane prison conditions, time out of cell, and the use of force and restraints.
No one should be expected to live in those conditions, Executive Director of the Trust, Sarah Brady said.
Ms Brady said the issue is not as simple as building more prisons.
She added: “Everyone from the inspector of Prisons to the European Committee in the Prevention of Torture and ourselves agree you cannot build your way out of an overcrowding crisis, particularly when it costs over €100,000 to keep a person in prison for a year, that money would be better and more wisely invested in supports to ensure that that person doesn’t reoffend.”
It was disclosed that 161 non-nationals are serving sentences for sexual offences
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