During a parliamentary hearing on the state budget proposal for 2026, Rita Alarcão Júdice addressed concerns over the closure of the EPL, noting it is based on a prison population that has increased this year.
“The truth is that since January up to today, Portuguese prisons have 654 more inmates than the previous year. That’s where the difficulty lies,” explained the Minister of Justice.
During the ongoing hearing, which started after a two-and-a-half-hour delay, the Justice Minister provided an update on construction works at several prisons to accommodate transfers from the EPL.
Requalification works at buildings in the Linhó, Alcoentre, and Sintra prisons will soon be completed. Additionally, a pavilion in Tires has been refurbished, and discussions are underway regarding a pavilion in Caxias prison.
The aim of these projects is “to increase the capacity to accommodate the phased transition of inmates currently housed in the EPL.”
Throughout the hearing, the Minister of Justice faced inquiries from all deputies regarding prison conditions and security. She emphasized at the session’s outset that one of the Government’s priorities is initiating construction procedures for the new São Miguel Prison Facility in the Azores.
