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.
Calls For Prison Security Review After Inmate Died In Their Cell
22nd May 2026
Niamh McCormack, IPRT’s Legal, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, tells Kildare Today that the case exposes serious systemic gaps in prison security and emergency access. She warns that hundreds of people were effectively unreachable behind locked doors that day, raising urgent questions about safety, fire procedures, and accountability. IPRT is calling for a full audit of key‑holding practices and robust measures to ensure this cannot happen again.
Report into death at Midlands Prison 'extremely distressing' to read
21st May 2026
IPRT’s Niamh McCormack spoke to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about the Inspector of Prisons’ findings on a death at Midlands Prison, describing the report as “extremely distressing to read”. She noted the rising number of deaths in custody and the urgent need to address overcrowding and systemic safety risks.
Irish Penal Reform Trust Calls For Prison Security Review After Inmate Death Report
21st May 2026
In this interview, Niamh McCormack, IPRT’s Legal and Public Affairs Manager, highlights deep systemic failures in prison security and emergency response exposed by the Inspector of Prisons’ report. She stresses that no one in State custody should ever be left without timely medical care, and calls for an urgent, system‑wide review to prevent such incidents recurring.
DAMNING REPORT ‘Serious questions’ demand after nurse forced to watch helplessly as prisoner died in cell because officers lost keys
21st May 2026
This article focuses on the serious systemic failures highlighted in the Inspector of Prisons’ report into the 2021 death in Midlands Prison. IPRT’s Niamh McCormack is quoted raising urgent concerns about key‑holding practices, the lack of emergency access for almost 300 people, and the absence of proper risk assessment that allowed such unsafe procedures to develop.
Building more prisons is not the answer to overcrowding The Irish Penal Reform Trust outlines a more progressive and cost-effective approach
7th May 2026
IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady's letter published in The Irish Times on 7 May 2026 highlights why expanding prison capacity alone will not solve Ireland’s prison overcrowding crisis, and outlines the need for greater investment in community sanctions, diversion and prevention-focused approaches.
Prison officers to be issued with body cameras, batons amid rise in violence
1st May 2026
In this interview, IPRT Executive Director, Saoirse Brady, speaks to David McCullagh on RTÉ Radio 1 about proposals to introduce batons, body-worn cameras and incapacitant spray in Irish prisons. Saoirse highlights the role of overcrowding and rising tensions in driving violence in prisons, and argues for investment in evidence-based de-escalation and violence reduction programmes instead of introducing additional weapons into prison settings.
Prison overcrowding group to meet after capacity crisis warning
20th April 2026
This article reports on record levels of overcrowding across Irish prisons, with capacity exceeding 120% and hundreds of people sleeping on mattresses on cell floors. It outlines concerns raised by the Irish Prison Service and the reconvening of a cross-agency response group to address the issue. Saoirse Brady of IPRT is quoted highlighting the “degrading and dehumanising” conditions caused by persistent overcrowding. IPRT emphasises the urgent need for systemic solutions to reduce prison numbers and improve conditions.
Continued reliance on ‘single separation' of children at Oberstown detention centre
17th April 2026
This article reports on a Health Information and Quality Authority inspection of Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus, which found an over-reliance on isolating young people through “single separation”, raising serious children’s rights concerns. The report links these practices in part to staffing shortages and identifies gaps in oversight and implementation of recommendations. Saoirse Brady of IPRT is quoted emphasising that children’s rights must not be compromised due to operational pressures. IPRT highlights the need for a rights-based approach and adequate resourcing to reduce the use of restrictive practices.
Crime and class Who really ends up behind bars in Ireland?
4th April 2026
In this op-ed, Senator Lynn Ruane draws on IPRT’s From Punishment to Prevention report to highlight the strong links between poverty, inequality and imprisonment. She emphasises how people from under-resourced communities are disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system. The piece argues that structural disadvantage — including housing, education and health inequalities — drives pathways into prison. Ruane calls for greater focus on prevention and addressing the root causes of crime.
Inmates still earn just 50c for a day's work in Irish prisons
1st April 2026
This article examines low prison wages in Ireland, where people earn as little as 50c per day for work while facing rising costs for basic goods. Saoirse Brady of the Irish Penal Reform Trust is quoted highlighting how inadequate pay places strain on people in prison and their families. The piece also outlines how low incomes can contribute to debt, vulnerability and inequality within prisons. IPRT calls for fairer pay to support dignity, rehabilitation and reintegration.
