Side by side stand two prisons, Portlaoise Prison and The Midlands Prison.
Portlaoise Prison (Irish: Príosún Phort Laoise) is Ireland's only high security prison. It is located in Portlaoise, County Laois. It should not be confused with the Midlands Prison, which is a newer, medium security prison situated directly beside it.
The prison was built in the 1830s, making it one of the oldest still operating today in the Irish prison system. It is particularly notable as the prison in which people convicted of membership of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and other illegal paramilitary organisations are usually detained.
The Midlands Prison is a closed, medium security prison. It was built adjacent to Portlaoise Prison with which it shares some facilities. It was built as a public-private partnership at a cost of £46 million (Irish punts). It opened in 2000. It is not a committal prison as all prisoners resident have been transferred from other prisoners. A very small number of prisoners in the resident population are awaiting trial but the vast majority of prisoners have already been sentenced. It receives prisoners from Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath. As of 2012 they are holding 615 and cannot hold any more.