# iprt

This year

2023

# Irish Prisons

Irish Penal Reform Trust express 'grave concern' as bed capacity reaches 100% across prison estate

Limerick’s female prison has reached highs of 164% capacity.

10.2k

Updated

Feb 3rd 2023, 9:13 AM

Last year

2022

Voices

Children with parents in prison are silently serving sentences of their own this Christmas

At Christmas time, children have extremely limited access to their parents in prison, writes Saoirse Brady of the Irish Penal Reform Trust.

13.6k

Dec 23rd 2022, 12:29 PM

All time

# Covid-19

Prison service facing 'unprecedented challenge' as it manages three Covid-19 outbreaks

There are at least 63 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among inmates.

10.4k

Nov 18th 2021, 11:25 AM

# Drugs

A conviction for €4 worth of cannabis 'just defies logic', say campaigners

Possession of any amount of cannabis is illegal under Irish law.

50.5k

May 22nd 2021, 8:00 PM

# Dundrum

'Most unfortunate case': Central Mental Hospital staff engaged in standoff with gardaí over mentally ill man's admittance

The man was initially refused entry due to the lack of beds in the CMH, an ongoing issue at the Dundrum facility.

63.4k

Mar 23rd 2021, 2:21 PM

# Report

Covid-19 exposes 'unsafe' failures in prison service – report

Measures were introduced in Irish prisons last year to prevent the spread of the virus.

11.6k

Jan 26th 2021, 3:12 PM

# Prison reform

Central Mental Hospital is at full capacity, prisoners with severe conditions wait 120 days for transfer

There are also currently 614 prisoners on a waiting list for an intervention from prison psychology services.

17.5k

Oct 25th 2019, 12:05 AM

# Solitary Confinement

Report calls for an end to solitary confinement in Irish prisons

A new report from the IPRT it says it can have a severe negative effect on prisoners’ mental health.

9.2k

Feb 2nd 2018, 2:20 PM

# hiring ex prisoners

'People we recruit from prison are on average more loyal, more honest and stay with us for longer'

The UK’s leading employer of people with convictions says there can be huge benefits in hiring ex-prisoners.

34.3k

Oct 1st 2017, 10:00 PM

# Solitary Confinement

'Prisoners have a very basic human need for contact'

A change in prison rules looks at the “meaningful human contact” prisoners get when out of their cells.

12.9k

Jul 9th 2017, 7:00 AM

# lgbt in prison

'They think you are a poof and they prey on you'

A new report documents the experiences of LGBT people in prison, an “invisible population”.

19.4k

Feb 2nd 2016, 10:55 AM

# Justice

Community service: 'Cheaper than jail and makes society more safe'

Last year, there were 2,354 Community Service Orders made, with a total of just over 352,000 hours in lieu of a custodial sentence.

7.4k

Aug 24th 2014, 8:00 AM

# Overcrowding

The UN says Ireland's prisons are 'inhuman'

“Chronic” overcrowding, “poor” cell conditions and the “inhuman” practice of slopping out – the UN says our prisons really need to step up.

9.0k

Jul 16th 2014, 6:40 AM

# Prison

Over 8,000 people were imprisoned for non-payment of fines last year

And legislation that will cut that number was passed yesterday.

11.2k

103

Apr 11th 2014, 9:44 AM

# New Job

And President Higgins's new adviser is...

Drumroll, please.

16.6k

Jan 20th 2014, 10:02 AM

# Overcrowding

Big increase in number of women being sent to jail

The number of women being sent to jail has increased by one third in the last three years, while the number of men being imprisoned has levelled off.

8.6k

Nov 21st 2013, 8:15 AM

# Solitary Confinement

Irish prison system 'over-reliant' on prolonged solitary confinement

The Irish Penal Reform Trust said today that extended periods of isolation can cause harm to prisoners’ mental health and make rehabilitation impossible.

5.6k

Jul 23rd 2013, 6:01 PM

# Young offenders

Moving inmates from St Pat's to adult prison "won't make one iota of difference"

A prison officer in St Patrick’s says all the current problems in St Patrick’s Institution will just be recreated when the inmates move to Wheatfield Prison.

5.3k

Jul 4th 2013, 7:30 AM

# justice system

Here's how 7,500 people went to jail for not paying fines in 2012

An average of 20 people a day were jailed for non-payment of fines last year – despite moves to reduce the figures.

13.2k

Feb 1st 2013, 6:55 AM

# Prison

Report asks for more supports for children with parents in prison

The Irish Penal Reform Trust has made a number of recommendations about the rights and needs of families of prisoners.

3.5k

Nov 19th 2012, 11:47 AM

# Prison

Call for reforms to ensure "fair and transparent" early release of prisoners

The IPRT recommends that a single ‘Early Release Act’ should be enacted to overhaul the current systems of remission, temporary release and parole.

3.4k

Oct 23rd 2012, 8:50 AM

# Courts

25 people a day are being jailed for not paying fines

The high number of people being jailed for non-payment has been described as “expensive and pointless”.

6.9k

Jul 21st 2012, 7:15 AM

# Prisons

Dramatic 45 per cent increase in numbers sent to prison

However, the number of prison staff has actually fallen over the last five years.

3.3k

Apr 30th 2012, 6:27 PM

# Prisons

Inspector's report finds Limerick Prison 'has made progress'

A report by the Inspector of Prisons earlier this year had found that Limerick Prison was not fit for purpose and needed a ‘regime change’.

1.8k

Mar 12th 2012, 7:09 PM

# Prison

Government urged to address 'sub-standard' prison conditions

The Irish Penal Reform Trust has also asked the government to commit to a timeframe in bringing prison conditions in line with international standards.

712

Oct 10th 2011, 8:58 PM