The Government is to introduce a Prisons Inspectorate to oversee the running of prisons.
While provisions for the Inspectorate are being prepared for the Prisons Bill, Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen will head the Inspectorate on a non-statutory basis from April next when he retires from the High Court Bench.
In the past, Justice Kinlen has called for "radical alternatives" to the present system for dealing with convicted criminals and has said that a large number of offenders should be taken out of prisons.
The High Court Judge has also previously attacked the government for failing to support prisoners through the probation and welfare services.
Justice Kinlen’s term as Inspector of Prisons will last five years and will include the following terms of reference:
- Inspect and report, as he considers appropriate, to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on prisons and other places of detention managed on behalf of the Department by the Irish Prison Service,
- Report in particular on conditions in those institutions and on the regimes in place for prisoners and detainees,
- Investigate and report on any specific issue referred to the Inspectorate by the Minister,
- Submit to the Minister an Annual Report on the activities of the Inspectorate.
The terms of reference may be refined in the forthcoming Prisons Bill in light of the experience gained by Justice Kinlen in the interim.