THE Government has "generally respected" the human rights of its citizens, according to section of a US State Department report dealing with Ireland.
The report for 1996 says, however, that there are problems concerning prison conditions, ill treatment of prisoners, for travellers and in connection with violence against women.
The annual human rights world survey for last year says Ireland's principal internal security concern has been "to prevent the spill over of terrorist violence from Northern Ireland". However, despite the end of the IRA ceasefire, "the Government did not reinstate the state of emergency which it lifted in 1995 when the ceasefire began".
Noting the Government's general respect for human rights, the 12 page section dealing with Ireland lists the areas where "problems arise". These are: "Prison over crowding and sub standard facilities; instances of abuse by police and prison officials; the continuation of special arrest and detention authority, and the non jury court; discrimination and violence against women; abuse of children; occasional censorship of films, books and periodicals; a lack of explicit anti discrimination legislation, especially in relation to persons with disabilities and `travellers' (an itinerant ethnic community)."
Under the heading "Torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment", the report says: "The law prohibits such practices and security personnel generally did not employ them." The report says, however, at least 66 cases were filed against the State for alleged mistreatment while in police custody.
It refers to the case where "two persons accused of murdering a police officer alleged they had been severely beaten by police while in custody".
The prison regime is described as "generally liberal" but the physical infrastructure of many prisons is "barely adequate". Noting that prisoners have filed cases for alleged mistreatment and that the Government has admitted there are certain officers who have a propensity to ill treat prisoners", the report states "there is no evidence that these officers have been remanded or removed".
Under the heading "Freedom of speech and press", the report says that the 1961 Defamation Act and the 1963 Official Secrets Act "are believed to have resulted in some self censorship". More than 80 libel actions against newspapers and other publications are pending.
Referring to the situation of women, the report says they are "under represented in government and politics". The report says there have been "no systematic studies of violence against women but indications are that it is significant".
On children, the report says that surveys suggest that 12 to 15 per cent experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse or gross neglect". It refers to scandals involving orphanage staffs and members of the Catholic clergy.
The section on the travelling community notes that in 1991 a European Parliament committee said it was "the single most discriminated against ethnic group" in Ireland. "That remained the case in 1996," the report says.