Mental illness in the context of prison must be viewed as a health issue requiring an effective and prompt health intervention, including diversion to appropriate treatment services outside prison. However, people with mental health issues continue to enter the prison system due to a lack of access to appropriate mental health services in the community.
This section includes posts on issues relating to mental health in prison and the wider criminal justice system. If you are looking for general health-related information, click here.
29th March 2022
IPRT Senior Policy and Research Officer Sarahjane McCreery and IPRT Acting Executive Director Molly Joyce appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee as part of an examination of rehabilitative opportunities within the prison system.
28th March 2022
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD has published Justice Plan 2022, outlining 159 actions to continue building a justice system that works for everyone.
24th March 2022
Minister for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler has, in conjunction with the HSE, launched Sharing the Vision: Implementation Plan 2022 - 2024. Several of the recommendations in the Strategy and the corresponding Implementation Plan relate to improving outcomes for people in contact with the justice system with mental health challenges.
9th March 2022
IPRT notes the publication of the first Visiting Committee reports that relate to the pandemic period.
7th March 2022
The purpose of this first ever Criminal Justice Sectoral Strategy is to develop a shared vision for a more joined-up criminal justice system.
4th March 2022
This submission discusses key rehabilitative supports, services and resources in prisons and makes 13 recommendations for change.
7th February 2022
MEDIA ADVISORY: In publishing the fifth edition of PIPS, IPRT finds that the penal system – in some key areas of practice – has regressed over the last five years. We called for reforms in custodial sentencing policy so that prison is used as a last resort.
21st January 2022
IPRT's brief submission on the general scheme of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2021 aims to highlight the needs of people with disabilities in prison and engaged with forensic mental health services in Ireland.
7th January 2022
This is the Irish Penal Reform Trust’s first submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The submission makes the overarching point that Ireland is over-reliant on imprisonment as a response to social issues and socio-economic disadvantage.
23rd December 2021
The Interagency Group focuses on analysing the nature of the problems faced by people when released from custody and how better interagency cooperation could assist in their reintegration into the community. The fourth Annual Report outlines areas of progress and of concern, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.