AN UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION of Mountjoy Prison found that inmates were being subjected to “degrading treatment” in conditions that did not meet minimum human rights standards, according to a report published today.

Some inmates had spent up to 92 days in solitary confinement despite a previous commitment to eliminate the practice, which the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) said contravened the UN Mandela Rules 2015.

Infestations of cockroaches and vermin was “an ongoing issue” at the prison, according to the report, which it said was “particularly disconcerting” for inmates who were forced to sleep on cell floors.

Mountjoy Prison was overcrowded and recreational areas were bleak and in poor condition at the time of the inspection, which took place at the end of 2022.

The report was only published by the Department of Justice for the first time today.

It found that the reception or committal area was being used for the “informal punishment” of prisoners without any legal provision allowing for this practice. Inmates detained here had no access to services or activities.

There was poor and inconsistent out-of-cell time for inmates at Mountjoy Prison, and conditions did not encourage a dignified and healthy environment, the report stated. Prisoners had little privacy when using toilets or showers.

The OIP noted that there had been three sexual assaults on prisoners reported between January and November 2022, along with 31 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, 27 assaults on staff, as well as three allegations of sexual misconduct and a threat of rape.

Nearly half of the prisoner population was on protection at the time of the inspection, with 46% of inmates having been removed from the main population on grounds of vulnerability.

Convicted and unconvicted prisoners were also being accommodated together, contrary to guidance provided in EU Prison Rules.

Prisoners who were engaged in essential work were inadequately compensated, the report said.

The OIP made 44 recommendations arising from the unannounced inspection. A total of 25 of these were accepted, 13 were partially accepted, and six were not accepted by the Irish Prison Service (IPS).

One of these was a recommendation to partition sanitary areas in cells. The IPS contended that this was not possible due to the impact that it would have on the floor space of cells.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) expressed concern at the findings of the inspection reports.

Niamh McCormack, Legal and Public Affairs Manager with IPRT said: “The publication of reports on inspections dating back to 2022 and 2023 demonstrates the need for Office of the Inspector of Prisons to have the power to publish its own reports.

“At present, the timing and selection of reports for publication are controlled by the Minister, which is clearly not consistent with an independent oversight function.”

She said IPRT is concerned by the “gravity of the findings in the reports” and calls on the Minister to publish any outstanding reports that have not yet been released.

“The Minister must take urgent action to address the prison overcrowding crisis, including placing an enforceable upper limit on the number of persons that can be committed to prisons in Ireland and the introduction of a Supported Bail Service to reduce the numbers of people in remand detention,” she said.