Launch of "The Whitaker Committee Report 20 Years On - Lessons Learned or Lessons Forgotten?"

25th July 2007

Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan officially launched "The Whitaker Committee Report 20 Years On - Lessons Learned or Lessons Forgotten?" on July 25th, 2007 in Buswells Hotel.

Also speaking at the launch were Fr. Peter McVerry, a member of the original Whitaker Committee, David Kingston, Chairperson of the Katherine Howard Foundation and Claire Hamilton, Chairperson of the IPRT.

Dr. T. K. Whitaker was in attendance as were many of the other contributors to the publication. Many sectors of Irish society were represented at the launch including representatives from politics, academia, law, human rights, the community/ voluntary sector and the prison service.

This publication was produced by the Katharine Howard Foundation in partnership with the Irish Penal Reform Trust and reviews the findings of the 1985 Whitaker Committee Report in light of present-day debates on criminal justice and prisons in Ireland.

It brings together the contributions of a diverse and distinguished list of commentators from many sections of of Irish society,