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A new facility, intended to replace the 140-year-old prison, was initially scheduled to open in 2025, but this has been delayed until 2027.

Governor Michael Stoney spoke to BBC Scotland’s Drivetime programme about the situation. He said: “This prison can’t last that much longer. The infrastructure fails consistently.”

He added: “At some point it may be a catastrophic failure, by then it’s too late. We know that day is coming.

“A lot of my time is just trying to keep the prison functional. If dates like building and completion stretch further, then the risk gets greater year on year.”

The Scottish government has committed to constructing a new HMP Glasgow, but Scottish prisons are under scrutiny after an Irish judge refused a man’s extradition to Scotland on humanitarian grounds.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott, expressed concern over the “real and substantial risk of inhuman or degrading treatment” in Scotland’s prisons, specifically mentioning Barlinnie and Low Moss prisons. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is currently considering the terms of the ruling.

Barlinnie was declared unfit for purpose by HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIPS) in 2020, and international inspection organisations have also condemned some of the jail’s facilities.

While Mr Stoney praised his staff for keeping the prison operational under strain, he pointed out ongoing problems, including smuggling of ever-stronger drugs, maintaining separations between “enemy” prisoners, and staff assaults.

He said: “These drugs are affecting them in a way we’ve never seen before. You’ve got an officer who has a great relationship with somebody and all of a sudden they’ve taken something and change character.”

The governor highlighted the scarcity of shower facilities and believes that a move to a new HMP Glasgow could lead to a 20 per cent reduction in reoffending. However, he noted that prison officers’ jobs “had become harder” due to issues like increased psychoactive substance use among inmates.

He commented: “If we walked into A Hall just now and I showed you the must-keep-separate list, I don’t know how the staff do it – keeping all these people apart and still running the regime. The new prison design is creating all these opportunities to place people properly. They will reduce violence among the prison population themselves, and invariably you will reduce violence towards staff.”