What is wrong in Irish prisons?

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Tuesday June 21, 2011 14:47 by Brian Flannery - Justice

Irish Prisons

In the last 10 years, numbers have risen drastically with people being incarcerated in prisons throughout Ireland.

We need a complete overhaul in the way our prisons are run. The latest report by Judge Reilly, Inspector of Prisons were shocking and indicated that many laws have been in fact been breached viz a viz basic human rights.

Ireland's prison numbers now are the highest since the Troubles and you can go back as far as the War of independence to actually get a clearer picture of how high the numbers are in present times. Numbers flotate on a daily basis. But data research from the Department of Justice, if you can actually believe them, will tell you on a technical basis that numbers have exceeded over 6,500 + in some weeks of the year. These numbers are a reflection on Society as a whole. I will state clearly and categorically that certain prisoners must be contained for the safety of the public i.e. crimes like murder, rape, extortion, drug related and gangland. Sadly the numbers on these crimes only make up around 40% of the total prison numbers. Today, I would like to ask, as I have down the years - Do we really feel it is necessary to put people into prison for parking fines, dog licenses, barring orders, and small debts? I say it is wrong.

The cost to the Irish taxpayer is approximately 95,000 e. p.a. to keep one prisoner locked up. How do we change this? Is it environmental? Is it certain areas as John Lonergan, former governor, keeps spouting out i.e. inner city Dublin/third generation/same families who end up in Mountjoy. The same for Cork, Waterford, Galway and Clare. We now have more research completed in relation to prisons in Ireland. This has cost the Irish taxpayer multiple millions yet I ask again why are the numbers the highest now than those ever seen before.

Penal Reform in this country is run under the auspices of Charity/Non profit organisations. Its main financier is Chuck Feeney Atlantic Philantropics yet it has not shown any leadership or motivation to change the conditions of prisoners which are stark and draconian, particularly in Mountjoy and Cork. I believe there isn't one ex prisoner involved in any research relating to Irish penal reform. I again ask the question why? education is a way forward. Moyross & Southill in Limerick is a perfect example of how people are totally alienated by society and this is why they have a deep contempt for the system. I would only wish we could see people who have been through the penal system given a voice in relation to a way forward and especially in relation to how penal reform is operating in this country.

Brian Flannery