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.
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.
26th November 2021
This invitation to tender is now *CLOSED*. Please do not submit tenders as they will not be considered.
21st November 2021
A new report by Advance details the findings of their research on diverting women from the criminal justice system, and some key recommendations. It also explains the work of the Women's Diversion Service, whose goal is to allow women to address the circumstances that led them to commit offences.
15th November 2021
MEDIA ADVISORY: IPRT endorses the findings and recommendations of the new Mental Health Commission report on 'Access to Mental Health Services for People in the Criminal Justice System’ and calls on the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice to commit to resourcing the implementation of the recommendations in full.
15th November 2021
This report highlights the “gaps in Irish mental health services which lead to mentally ill people ending up in prison,” the conditions for mentally ill people in prison, and the lack of capacity in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH).
12th November 2021
IPRT summarises the recommendations relating to the work of IPRT made by States during the review, following the adoption and publication of the Draft Report on Friday 12th November.
10th November 2021
PRESS NOTICE: Ireland’s human rights record, including its failure to ratify international human rights treaties and its treatment of people in prison, will be examined by the UN Human Rights Council Working Group as part of Ireland’s third Universal Period Review (UPR) from 13.30 today.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.