Penal trust criticises delays in prison reforms

THE Irish Penal Reform Trust has criticised the lack of progress in implementing prison reforms proposed under a 1994 plan. It has accused the Minister of Justice of "tinkering with the system".

In a statement, the trust claimed that of 53 recommendations in the five year plan, only four measures were being introduced. These were the extension of kitchen facilities in Portlaoise, reform of staffing structures in Mountjoy's workshops, the introduction next month of a detoxification unit in Mountjoy and the introduction later this year of a new disciplinary code for staff.

The IPRT acknowledged the reforms had gone a small way towards improving the system but said some of the most important recommendations appeared to have come to nothing.

It expressed particular concern that there had been no moves towards increasing the number of psychologists serving the prisons from six to 10 and that an inspector of prisons had not yet been appointed. The failure to appoint nurses to the service was also criticised, as was the failure to negotiate a new contract with prison doctors.

There had been no moves to introduce the draft prison rules proposed under the plan. This meant prison life was still governed by the "archaic" 1947 prison rules which "fail dismally to reflect current values in Irish society and also fail to recognise international human rights standards".

The trust called for the appointment of an inspector as a priority. The inspectorate should function independently "and for the Minister to link its establishment with the potential appointment of a prisons board only serves to muddy the waters".

It also demanded the immediate creation of separate remand facilities following the death of another young rem and prisoner in prison last Sunday. It was not enough for Mrs Owen to tell the Dail she favoured such facilities.

The statement urged a legal ceiling on prison numbers, the urgent completion of the proposed women's prison and a restructuring of the Mountjoy Suicide Prevent ion Committee.

By definition, and through no fault of its members, the trust said, the latter body had been forced to function like a "post mortem" committee rather than one designed to develop and evaluate preventative policies.