Ebulletin #124

Celebrating 30 years of IPRT 

For 30 years, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has been at the forefront of calling for a just, humane Ireland where prison is used as a last resort.  

We are delighted to be marking 30 years of our work with a celebration in Dublin city centre starting at 10.30 am on Thursday, 10 April 2025. 

The event will reflect on the work of IPRT and the progress of penal reform in Ireland over the past 30 years with founders of IPRT, former Executive Directors, and former Chairs of the IPRT Board of Directors. 

We will also welcome the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan TD who will give a keynote address. We hope you will be able to join us and stay for a light lunch. 

• Register for our event celebrating 30 years of IPRT.  

Securing Our Future – Programme for Government 2025+  

IPRT welcomed the clear focus on community-based sanctions and the commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) in Securing Ireland’s Future, the Programme for Government agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and TDs in the Regional Independent Group. However, we aired concerns about other less progressive measures that were included.    

• Read about the commitments reflecting IPRT’s asks - and what's missing - in our overview. 
• Read our press release: Welcome Focus on Community Sanctions in Draft Programme for Government but Inclusion of Prison Expansion Sends Mixed Messages - IPRT 

IPRT welcomed the early commitment of the newly appointed Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan to alternatives to prison, including his intention to enact legislation to increase the use of community sanctions for non-violent offences. 

Life Sentences and Whole Life Orders   

IPRT strongly opposes recent calls to amend the Life Sentences Bill to include Whole Life Sentences for the most serious crimes as these run contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights. Instead, we believe that the existing parole system, which carefully assesses people on life sentences for potential release, is a more effective and nuanced approach but requires adequate resourcing. Life sentences already include lifelong supervision and conditions post-release. IPRT firmly believes that those who do and have served their sentence, shown remorse, have meaningfully engaged with rehabilitative programmes and no longer pose any threat to society, should be offered a second chance.  

Read IPRT’s full statement on Life Sentences and Whole Life Orders.

External reports

• Office of the Inspector of Prisons Annual Report 2023 published 

Executive Director Saoirse Brady wrote in the Irish Times about the recently published Office of the Inspector of Prisons Annual Report 2023 that lays bare the sheer scale of human rights breaches due to overcrowding and the lack of dignity faced by people in prison custody reiterating that conditions should not be an additional punishment for a person deprived of their liberty. Systemic failures continue to contribute to the overcrowding crisis and there is a clear case that community-based sanctions must urgently be prioritised to ensure a long-term humane solution. 

Read our letter in The Irish Times: Overcrowded prisons and breaches of human rights 

• Liberties EU Rule of Law Report 2025 

IPRT, alongside nine other Irish organisations, contributed to the Liberties EU Rule Of Law Report 2025. The international report lays out the most striking developments concerning justice, corruption, civic space, media freedom, checks and balances, and systemic human rights issues across 21 states.   

In the report, IPRT particularly supported the inclusion of details on the use of community service orders in sentencing, the rights of people in prison particularly given the level of overcrowding across the prison estate, and the need to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) and to ensure the independence of the future Office of Inspector of Places of Detention. 

Children and Families of people in prison 

• Book Project 

In collaboration with Kids’ Own Publishing, IPRT’s Children and Families Initiative has been supporting the creation of a book by children, for children, exploring the impact of having a parent in prison. Titled Keep Up Hope, the book is set to launch in May 2025, with further details to be announced in due course. 

Additionally, work has commenced on developing a toolkit for people connected to the prison system, a pilot initiative led by the Dublin City Council Library Service. Keep Up Hope will be included in this toolkit to provide support for children with a parent or family member in prison. 

• Research on exploring the financial impact on children and families in Ireland when a family member is imprisoned   

With input from an advisory group, a survey was developed to examine the financial impact of imprisonment on families. The survey aimed to identify the key costs associated with having a family member in prison and, where possible, quantify the average weekly or monthly expenses incurred. It also explored how imprisonment affects children’s daily lives, including their health, well-being, and ability to participate in education, sports, and social activities. Survey responses have been received, and the collected data is now being analysed. The next phase of the research will involve conducting interviews with families affected by imprisonment. 

Traveller Justice Initiative (TJI) 

• Literacy and inclusion training with Solas 

TJI hosted a workshop for Education and Training Board (ETB) Traveller Liaison Teachers from all prisons, along with educators from Oberstown Child Detention Centre, focusing on literacy and Traveller-inclusive resources. Annmarie Collins, a Traveller woman with extensive expertise in literacy, delivered an engaging presentation to the teachers. Staff from SOLAS, the state agency overseeing Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland, also contributed to the workshop.

• Probation Officers training 

TJI co-facilitated training in Waterford for a group of Probation Officers, in collaboration with staff from Pavee Point and a Traveller woman with lived experience of the criminal justice system. The training focused on Travellers in the criminal justice system, aiming to enhance Probation Officers' understanding of Traveller needs and support them in delivering a more effective and inclusive service.

• Family supports

Marita Costigan, Family Connections Officer with the Irish Prison Service, and Anne Costello from TJI led discussions with various groups of people in prison in Castlerea Prison, including Travellers and non-Irish people in prison, to explore their experiences of maintaining family relationships while imprisoned. The conversations covered topics such as in-person and video visits, phone calls, the postal system, and concerns about the impact of imprisonment on their families.

• TJI 10-year anniversary 

There will be a special celebration marking 10 years of TJI. This milestone event, hosted by St Stephen’s Green Trust (SSGT) and IPRT, will bring together key partners, advocates, and supporters to reflect on TJI’s journey and the impact of SSGT’s strategic grant-making in driving justice reform. It will also mark the transition of TJI from SSGT to the IPRT. The event will be held on Wednesday, 9 April 2025. Contact events@ssgt.ie for further information about attending. 

Advocacy meetings   

• Meeting with Office of the Inspector of Prisons  

IPRT and TJI met with the Office of Inspector of Prisons (OIP) team in March for a wide-ranging discussion. We spoke about thematic issues in the prison system for women and Travellers, deaths in custody monitoring, and preparation work for the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) ratification amongst some other areas of discussion. Strengthening independent oversight is essential to improving accountability and protecting human rights in the justice system. We look forward to continued collaboration.

• Consultation on the next Strategy for Women and Girls 

IPRT attended the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, Youth consultation on the next strategy for women and girls, where we heard from Minister Norma Foley. It was a great opportunity to highlight the many intersectional issues IPRT sees impacting women in the criminal justice system that need to be addressed. 

• Discussion on young adult diversion  

In February, IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady attended a consultation on young adult diversion in the Department of Justice to explore a feasible model for 18 to 24-year-olds who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady with Ashling Golden,
Vice Chairperson and Secretary of the IPRT Board, at the event. 

IPRT in the News  

Below are some media highlights featuring IPRT. To read the full list of our media appearances, visit our IPRT in the News webpage. 

• The Tonight Show, Virgin Media TV- Bail Re-Offending & Ireland’s Prison Overcrowding 
• eolas: Enhancing Ireland’s criminal justice system 
• RTÉ Drivetime: Prison overcrowding and the Programme for Government 
• The Detail: Care home shortages force scores of children to stay in juvenile detention 
• The Sunday Times: Number of pregnant women in Irish jails at a record high 
• Irish Daily Mail: More Community Service and less jail to cut costs 
• The Journal: Opinion: The next government needs to adopt a new approach to the criminal justice system 
• The Mick Clifford Podcast, Irish Examiner: Is it time to find an alternative to prison? - Saoirse Brady 
• Irish Times: Overcrowded prisons and breaches of human rights 

 IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady on The Tonight Show, 11 March 2025.

Strategic Plan 2024-2026 Mid-term Review     In January, IPRT staff and members of the Board of Directors came together to review our progress, assess the current landscape, and plan for the future as we reach the halfway point of our Irish Penal Reform Trust Strategic Plan 2023-2026. The session gave us the opportunity to reflect on the past two years and plan for the upcoming two, ensuring that we remain focused and effective in our mission.  Prison visits     IPRT staff continue to visit prisons in different capacities including delivering a presentation on penal reform to Recruit Prison Officers as part of their training, and to observe Release deliver their Sycamore Tree programme on the principles of restorative justice.  IPRT Team     We're thrilled to welcome Tom Lord as our new Policy and Research Coordinator at IPRT. Tom brings a wealth of experience in human rights and policy, having worked on the prevention of torture with the New Zealand Ombudsman, Amnesty and the UN. Read Tom’s staff profile on our website.  Tom succeeds our former Coordinator, Pamela Drumgoole, whom we sincerely thank for her years of dedicated work championing penal reform through her invaluable contributions to IPRT. We wish her all the very best in her next steps.  Sector Opportunities      Irish Prison Service: Prison Healthcare Support  Office of Inspector of Prisons: Call for Expressions of Interest for OIP Expert Panel  Upcoming - The Probation Service: Probation Officers (Dublin), Senior Probation Officers (Nationwide), Assistant Principal Probation Officer, Service Officers (Dublin, Cork and Limerick). All roles and full details will be advertised across the month of April on The Probation Service Linkedin, Twitter and website www.probation.ie.  IPRT is on Bluesky      We have set up an account on the social media platform called Bluesky. Follow us there to keep up to date with our work. https://bsky.app/profile/irishpenalreform.bsky.social  Add your voice - become a Friend or Member IPRT relies on a network of committed supporters who share our vision for change. By becoming a Friend or Member of IPRT, you add your voice to our campaign for a more humane and equitable penal system. To find out more about supporting our work, please visit our Friends or Membership pages. IPRT relies on donations from charitable trusts, individual donations and membership subscriptions to cover operational costs. We have also received funding from donor-advised funds and project funds managed by the Community Foundation for Ireland and project funding from the Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. IPRT receives core funding from the Scheme to Fund National Organisations which is funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Rural and Community Development: