Ireland's prison system 'inhumane', says Irish Penal Reform Trust (RTE News)
2nd December 2025
This article on the RTÉ website states that Ireland's prison system is “overwhelmed, overstretched and inhumane,” according to the 2024 Progress in the Penal System Report by the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT).
IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady said the situation has worsened, with over 600 inmates currently sleeping on floor mattresses. She described cramped conditions, noting that in some cells, prisoners must sleep beside open toilets, and 62% must use toilets in front of others.
Brady also warned of unsafe custody levels across all Irish prisons, with some facilities operating far above recommended capacity. She emphasized that many prisoners face issues such as homelessness and addiction, often without adequate support, and called for imprisonment to be a last resort, advocating for more community-based sanctions.
The Justice Minister's proposals to expand community service for those serving sentences up to two years were welcomed as a step in the right direction.
