There’s no time to waste when it comes to addressing appalling conditions in our prison system, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Deputy Gannon, the party’s Justice spokesperson, said:
“The conditions described in the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) report are horrendous – some prisoners are forced to sleep on floors and eat their meals off the ground beside unpartitioned toilets.
“Others have experienced being locked in their cells for 22 hours a day – a clear violation of their basic human rights and dignity.
“The report shows a systemic failure to provide prisoners with adequate access to food, hygiene, and meaningful human contact.
“It is also deeply concerning that the findings, submitted to the Minister for Justice in March 2024, were only published last Friday afternoon – it’s hard to understate the pain that has been inflicted in the meantime.
“For years, groups like the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) have been warning about severe overcrowding in prisons, yet the situation has only worsened.
“Prisons are not suitable for those suffering homelessness and addiction, incarcerated for no other reason than an unwillingness from the state to address the problems which plague them.
“A system which lacks compassion for some of our most vulnerable would rather lock its issues away rather than address the root causes of how they’ve come about.
“These conditions are a direct result of government failure to address overcrowding and the lack of adequate alternatives to incarceration – rehabilitation has become an afterthought.
“There must be immediate investment in alternatives to imprisonment for non-violent offenders – we can no longer wait for another report or crisis before we act.”
March 6th, 2025