Ireland’s human rights record to come under the spotlight at UN hearing – IPRT

3rd July 2022

Ireland’s human rights record, including its treatment of people in prison and its failure to ratify a key international human rights treaty, will be examined by the UN Human Rights Committee during 4-5 July. The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) will ask the Human Rights Committee to question State officials on how Ireland is meeting its human rights obligations to people in prison, as part of the State’s fifth review under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (‘ICCPR’).

Chief among the concerns IPRT will raise with the UN Human Rights Committee are:

• The glacial rate at which Ireland has moved to ratify an international human rights treaty (the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, ‘OPCAT’) which would provide an independent and transparent oversight mechanism for people in all forms of detention;
• The overrepresentation of people with mental health needs in the prison system and the need to urgently publish the findings of the High-Level Task Force on mental health and addiction; and
• Worrying trends in prison conditions, including a significant rise in the prison population, resulting in more people having to share cells and use the toilet in front of another person.

On Monday (4 July) IPRT Executive Director Saoirse Brady will engage with the UN Human Rights Committee in a formal private session in Geneva before the Irish State comes under review, alongside a cohort of other civil society activists. Speaking in advance, Ms. Brady commented:

“For over a decade, whenever IPRT has engaged with international human rights mechanisms, the ratification of OPCAT has been front and centre. Ireland is one of the few EU Member States that has not yet ratified OPCAT. By ratifying the Protocol, Ireland would enhance independent human rights monitoring of the living conditions and treatment of some of our most vulnerable people, as well as demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the dignity of all people deprived of their liberty.”

The Department of Justice recently published the General Scheme of the legislation intended to ratify OPCAT but this is the first step of a potentially long legislative process. Ms. Brady continued:

“This legislation has been promised for more than a decade and there is no reason for further delay. IPRT believes that the State can and must ratify OPCAT immediately. As history has shown in Ireland, the need for robust systems of inspection and accountability are even more critical behind closed doors.”

On increased numbers of men and women in prison, Ms. Brady highlighted:

“Despite a sharp and welcome decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have returned to a situation where many Irish prisons are regularly overcrowded, with over 4,100 men and women in custody every day this week. The commitment by the State to review the use of community sanctions and to consider embedding the principle of prison as a last resort into law is extremely welcome but must be followed through.”

On people in prison with severe mental health needs, she stated:

“The prevalence of people in prison with severe mental illness is estimated to be four times that of the general population. Prison is not the appropriate place for someone with a severe mental illness. We need urgent investment in community mental health supports and a robust diversion system. The High-Level Task Force to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of persons interacting with the criminal justice system, established in 2021, should publish its findings and implementation plan without delay.”

ENDS
 

For all media enquiries, contact Pamela: +353 (0) 86 043 3060 or communications@iprt.ie

[IPRT contact in Geneva is Saoirse Brady, who will be available for interview – contact Pamela to arrange.]

NOTES FOR EDITORS

• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is an international human rights treaty that aims to protect civil and political rights. Ireland ratified the Convention in 1989.
• The Irish Penal Reform Trust Alternative Report to the ICCPR Review process is here.
• The UN Human Rights Committee is made up of 18 members who are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world.
• The OPCAT (Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture) is an international human rights treaty which assists States in preventing torture and other forms of ill-treatment in all places of detention. The OPCAT applies to anywhere people are deprived of their liberty. Ireland signed the OPCAT in October 2007, but has not yet ratified it. The Inspection of Places of Detention Bill is intended to ratify OPCAT in Ireland.
• Data on prison conditions: Recent data (April 2022) indicates that 47.5% of people in custody are required to use the toilet in the presence of another prisoner and only 49% of prisoners have access to their own cells.
• The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) is Ireland's leading non-governmental organisation campaigning for the rights of everyone in prison and the progressive reform of Irish penal policy, with prison as a last resort. www.iprt.ie | @iprt