Irish Penal Reform Trust

Lobbying Organisation Irish Penal Reform Trust

Date published 20 May, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 Jan, 2022 to 30 Apr, 2022

Specific Details An examination of rehabilitative opportunities within the prison system

Intended results To make recommendations around the improvement of rehabilitative opportunities both within and outside the prison system.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Molly Joyce, Legal & Public Affairs Manager

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Submission (1)

IPRT was invited by the Justice Committee to make a submission on the topic of 'an examination of rehabilitative opportunities within the prisons system', and made that submission on 4 March 2022. The submission made a number of recommendations touching on: mental and emotional health supports within prison; drug and alcohol addiction services within prison; living conditions (e.g. single-cell accommodation and out-of-cell time) in prison; education within prison; life skills within prison; staff training and culture; post-release barriers and opportunities (e.g. with reference to spent convictions legislation); and general points around the lack of data available on key aspects of the criminal justice and penal system.

Meeting (1)

IPRT was invited to appear before the Justice Committee on 29 March 2022 as a result of its submission, alongside key agencies such as the Irish Prison Service. IPRT's Legal and Public Affairs Manager and Senior Policy and Research Officer appeared on behalf of the organisation and focused our opening remarks on key issues, including concerns around a return to pre-pandemic prison numbers and the impact that this would have on rehabilitation within prisons as well as the impact of COVID-19 on rehabilitative opportunities in the prison system. The in-person nature of this appearance also provided opportunities to speak with several members of the Justice Committee after the event (including e.g. Deputy Pa Daly, Senator Barry Ward and Senator Lynn Ruane) as well as the Director General and Director of Care and Rehabilitation in the Irish Prison Service.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Patrick Costello TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Creed TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pa Daly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Howlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Lawless TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Niamh Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Robbie Gallagher Senator (Seanad)

Vincent P Martin Senator (Seanad)

Michael McDowell Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Ruane Senator (Seanad)

Barry Ward Senator (Seanad)

Caron McCaffrey Director General (Department of Justice and Equality)

Fergal Black Director of Services or Equivalent (Irish Prison Service)