Almost €454k is being allocated to improve communications systems across the country.
The phone bill for the Midlands Prison last year came to just under €70,000, according to the Irish Independent.
Nationally, the Irish Prison Service paid €386,000 for inmates to make calls from the State's detention facilities.
Meanwhile almost €454,000 is being spent on updating communications services across the country.
The spend includes the installation of in-cell phones for inmates at the Portlaoise facility.
The Irish Prison Services says the move will help support people in custody in their rehabilitation by giving them a private and secure environment to speak to family.
The money also went towards delivering the technology required for video court appearance as well as improving CCTV coverage.
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