People serving time in the State’s prisons were paid almost €3 million in pocket money last year.
The Irish Prison Service said every inmate receives a daily allowance from it, which can be used to buy discretionary items such as magazines, confectionary or cigarettes.
A standard daily rate of €1.70 applies but this can be increased to an enhanced rate of €2.20 per day if a prisoner is deemed compliant or reduced to a basic rate of 95 cent per day if a prisoner misbehaves.
Almost €27.4 million has been provided to prisoners under the State-funded scheme since 2009.
Last year alone, €2.9 million was distributed to inmates of the State’s 14 detention centres, up €214,179 compared on the previous year.
Midlands Prison in Portlaoise accounted for €649,922 of the total amount last year, while prisoners at Mountjoy Prison received €391,348 in the same period.
Prior to 2012, all inmates were entitled to a flat-rate gratuity payment of €2.35 per day. However, an incentivised regime was subsequently introduced allowing prisoners’ pocket money to be increased or reduced depending on their behaviour.
Daily allowance
Records released by the Irish Prison Service under the Freedom of Information Act show that 46 per cent of the prison population were on the “enhanced” rate of €2.20 per day towards the end of last year.
A further 47 per cent of prisoners were being paid the daily allowance at the standard rate of €1.70 per day, while just 7 per cent of inmates had been downgraded to the “basic” rate of 95c per day.
A spokesman for the service said the incentivised regime had provided for a differentiation of privileges between prisoners according to their level of engagement with services and quality of behaviour.
“The objective is to provide tangible incentives to prisoners to participate in structured activities and to reinforce good behaviour, leading to a safer and more secure environment,” he said.
In addition to the daily allowance, prisoners may also receive additional payments under the Approved Working Gratuity Scheme, which rewards work in areas such as kitchens, laundry, grounds maintenance, painting and cleaning.
The amount paid for engagement in these activities is 50c per session, up to a maximum of €3.50 per week.
Monies paid to prisoners can be spent on a broad range of discretionary items from the prison tuck shop such as toiletries or tobacco, as well as television rental and other services. It can also be saved and made available to prisoners upon their release.