7th April 2011
Writing in the Irish Examiner, Cormac O’Keeffe reports that the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has described as "disturbing" findings in an independent report of a "culture of impunity" among some prison officers in Mountjoy Jail.
The article follows the publication by the Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, of a report on an inspection of Mountjoy Prison by the Inspector of Prisons, Judge Michael Reilly, in which he states that a number of injuries had been received by prisoners in the jail.
"Quoting an internal investigation by the prison service, the inspector said the problem was leading to 'the beginning of a culture of impunity, advantage of which is being taken by a group of staff'."
O'Keeffe quotes the response of IPRT's Liam Herrick:
"While the report paints a shocking picture of a culture of impunity within the prison system, the bringing of these issues into the public domain is a strong vindication of the system of prison inspection."
[...]
"IPRT hopes that this report marks a watershed in addressing the problems within our prisons. The fact that it was the prison service itself that has identified the serious issues at Mountjoy marks an important progression from how problems within the prison system have been dealt with in the past."
Read the Irish Examiner article in full here.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.