Prisons and Alternative Sentencing Options: Statements Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-22 ============================================================ Victor Boyhan (IND), Agricultural Panel I thank the Minister for coming to the House. Initially, I asked for this debate on the basis of the follow-up inspection report relating Mountjoy Prison for the period 28 April to 2 May 2025. I want to reference that here, because it is important. The inspection report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in last month. As a result, we have been given the opportunity to raise it in this House. I am not going to go into the litany of abuses that have been set out or the photographic evidence contained in the full report. I thank the Minister for coming in here to listen to the debate. I acknowledge and thank Mr. Mark Kelly, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, who drew up the report and made arrangements for it to be laid before the Houses. I refer to the follow-up inspection report specific to Mountjoy, copies of which Members have in front of them. I also acknowledge the importance of the excellent public service broadcasting of Conor Ryan and the "RTÉ Investigates" documentary shown on 9 and 10 February 2026, which was also raised by me in this House and which exposed the failures of Ireland's mental health system. The RTÉ programme - I am sure the Minister may have seen it - highlights how people in urgent need of psychiatric care are often placed in prison cells rather than receiving the appropriate hospital and community mental health-based care they deserve. We know of cases involving people dying in custody after being turned away from mental health services. This demonstrates that there is an urgent need for practical and alternative systemic reforms. I acknowledge my colleague Senator Ruane, who has really been a powerful and strong advocate in this space and who has brought a lot of her knowledge and understanding to the proceedings of this House. She is not here now, but I want to put on record my thanks to her in that regard. It is also important to acknowledge the Irish Penal Reform Trust, under executive director Saoirse Brady, which continues to advocate for a more just, humane and effective criminal justice system. Its work is always based on research, advocacy and engagement, which is important to note. The Minister will be aware that following the publication of the reports by the chief inspector of prisons on 15 January, the a press release was issued by the Irish Penal Reform Trust, IPRT. The five reports from the Office of the Inspector of Prisons were based on inspections carried out in Mountjoy Prison, the training unit at Mountjoy, Cork prison, Cloverhill Prison and the Dóchas Centre between 2022 and 2023. They revealed widespread issues, including poor conditions, mistreatment of prisoners and the overuse of restrictive regimes and solitary confinement. Significant failures were identified in accountability, record-keeping and complaints systems. The IPRT also highlighted unacceptable sanitary conditions, which colleagues will see in the report in front of them, and the lack of access to basic necessities. I am deeply concerned about these practices, particularly those in the Dóchas centre. The reports that have come from there are seriously disturbing and include mention of a restrictive lock-back regime. That clearly is unacceptable. We must have a basic level of human rights, as I think the Minister will agree. I know he has set out the difficulties and I understand some of them. Many of the issues identified remain ongoing and, in some cases, have worsened or escalated since the report was published. I refer in particular to overcrowding. There is a need for urgent action, including measures to improve conditions for prisoners and the need to strengthen independent oversight to ensure the detention conditions meet basic standards of what are basic requirements, dignity and human rights. I wish also to acknowledge the significant and important work of the Jesuit Centre of Faith and Justice in Ireland, which engages in regular commentary on penal reform and social justice. I also acknowledge the significant work of the prison chaplaincy service, which has a very good and strong engagement role and is respected, too, as a unique contact and access for people held in detention in our prison service. I thank the Minister for his time and for responding to the invitation to come here, which was extended some weeks ago. I am particularly pleased, as always, that the lead Minister is coming to engage with us. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-22/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-04-22