IPRT in the News
As part of the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) Strategic Plan 2023-2026, one of our main goals is to campaign for a progressive criminal justice system that upholds human rights. Engagement with the media plays a large part in that as we discuss our evidence-based research, advocate for people in prison, and work to change attitudes and challenge misconceptions about people in the criminal justice system.
Below you will see a list of most of IPRT's media features including recordings of radio discussions, links to TV appearances, and access to written articles and opinion pieces. You can also listen back to long-form recorded discussions with podcast hosts on our Podcast webpage.
Life after prison - David McCullagh Show RTE Radio 1
31st March 2026
Saoirse Brady, Executive Director of IPRT, spoke to David McCullagh, who was joined by Robert Cullen, an MA student with lived experience of the prison system. The broadcast discusses life after prison, highlighting the experiences and challenges faced by individuals transitioning back into society.
People in Ireland from poorer backgrounds are at a higher risk of going to jail, says report - Liberal.ie
26th March 2026
This article features further coverage of IPRT’s report From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish Criminal Justice System, highlighting how people from disadvantaged backgrounds are disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system. It emphasises that poverty and structural inequality drive imprisonment and calls for greater investment in preventative supports.
Irish Penal Reform Trust Links Poverty to Criminal Justice System - RTÉ News
25th March 2026
RTÉ news bulletins covered the launch of IPRT’s report From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish Criminal Justice System, highlighting how the organisation has linked poverty, disadvantage, and structural inequality to higher rates of imprisonment. IPRT emphasised that criminalisation is often shaped by circumstance rather than choice and called for a shift toward preventative, community-based responses to reduce entry into the criminal justice system.
Poverty, inequality increases risk of entering the criminal justice system - IPRT - RTÉ News
25th March 2026
In this online article, RTE journalist Ailbhe Conneely covered the launch of IPRT’s report From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish Criminal Justice System, which highlights how poverty, disadvantage, and structural inequality increase the risk of people entering the criminal justice system.
Irish Penal Reform Trust Discusses Alternatives to Imprisonment - Newstalk
25th March 2026
In an interview with Newstalk Breakfast's Anton Savage, IPRT Executive Director, Saoirse Brady discussed alternatives to imprisonment including diversion schemes and restorative justice initiatives.
IPRT's Niamh McCormack is interviewed for Kildare Today on KFM
25th March 2026
Following the launch of IPRT’s report From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish Criminal Justice System, Legal Policy and Public Affairs Manager Niamh McCormack was interviewed by Hannah Kelly on Kildare FM to discuss its findings.
Inmates still earn just 50 cents for a day's work in Irish prisons - Dublin Inquirer
20th March 2026
This article highlights the financial struggles prisoners face in Ireland, with low gratuities and limited earnings making it difficult to buy basics or support themselves and their families. IPRT emphasised that these inadequate payments, combined with high costs and barriers to addiction and mental health supports, leave prisoners vulnerable and reliant on family assistance. IPRT called for fairer rates to ensure prisoners can cover essential needs, participate meaningfully in prison work, and prepare for life after release.
Planned electronic tagging of prisoners faces fresh setback - Irish Independent
18th March 2026
This article highlights delays in the rollout of electronic tagging for prisoners, with no compliant tender submissions received despite extended deadlines. IPRT has warned that the ongoing overcrowding in Irish prisons, now operating at 125% capacity with hundreds sleeping on floors, makes alternatives to incarceration increasingly urgent. Executive Director Saoirse Brady described conditions as “overwhelmed, overstretched and inhumane” and stressed that imprisonment should remain a last resort, with community-based sanctions used for less serious offences.
Documenting one man's unravelling before a deportation flight to Nigeria, observer had to rely on second-hand accounts - Dublin Inquirer
1st March 2026
This article highlights concerns regarding a deportation flight to Nigeria. IPRT welcomed the role of a human rights monitor, noting that the aircraft should be treated as a place of detention, and stressed that the monitor should be able to observe the entire operation, from prison transfer to departure. The organisation also expressed concern about reports that one deportee became agitated, potentially due to not receiving prescribed medication before leaving prison, underscoring the need for proper care and safeguards for immigration detainees, including when held in regular prisons under the new Immigration Bill.
Deaths in custody up from 24 to 31, over one year - Law Society Gazette
24th February 2026
IPRT said the increase in deaths in custody from 24 to 31 in one year highlights worsening systemic failures across the prison system. Responding to five investigation reports, the organisation emphasised that many of the deaths were preventable and linked to overcrowding, inadequate mental health and addiction services, and failures in risk management and medical oversight. IPRT pointed to repeated instances where clear warning signs were not acted upon and called for urgent Government action to address these persistent deficiencies and ensure accountability.
