In the final part of our series on Irish prisons, we looked at the issue of restorative justice and alternatives to prison.

How many prisoners could be safely dealt with by non-custodial means, such as community service, thereby reserving prison for the most serious offenders?

Should prison be considered a last resort? Are shorter sentences costing the state too much?

And can every offender be rehabilitated?

These were some of the questions put to Fíona Ní Chinnéide, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, Ian Marder, lecturer in criminology at Maynooth University, and Mark Kennedy, Head of Recovery Services at the Merchant's Quay Project.

Listen to the interview in full by pressing the play button on this page.