Paying the Price: The cost and impact of imprisonment on families in Ireland

19th November 2025

The imprisonment of a child’s primary carer is recognised as a profoundly damaging experience and one of the ten Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with lasting effects into adulthood. Previous estimates from the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) indicated that over 5,000 children had a parent in prison on any given day, affecting more than 10,000 children annually.1 However, with record numbers of people currently in prison, this number is likely to be far higher. To address the significant challenges faced by children and families affected by imprisonment, IPRT commissioned TASC (Think Tank for Action on Social Change) in December 2024 to undertake comprehensive research exploring the financial impact of familial imprisonment on families with children. This research seeks to address significant gaps in knowledge regarding the relationship between poverty and the challenges faced by families affected by imprisonment, with a particular focus on parents, carers, or siblings in prison.