The Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) yesterday published reports following inspections carried out in Mountjoy in April/May 2025 and Cloverhill Prison in December 2024.

The follow-up inspections found that the vast majority of recommendations from previous general inspections had not been carried out.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has called on Jim O’Callaghan to take “emergency action” following the publication of the reports.

Niamh McCormack, legal and public affairs manager with IPRT, said: “We are deeply disappointed by the lack of urgency in addressing the seriously concerning issues that were raised in the initial inspection reports.

“Out of 19 recommendations that were made following the Cloverhill inspection, only three have been implemented. Out of 32 recommendations in Mountjoy, two are considered closed.  

“The inspections expose seriously unsafe and unsanitary conditions that are inhuman and degrading for people in prison.

“Cells with four people in spaces designed for three, mattresses wedged beside open toilets, broken plumbing, and extreme temperatures are completely unacceptable in a modern prison system.”

She continued: “The OIP findings underline the severity of the situation in Irish prisons. We see prison conditions in Mountjoy being described as deplorable and people in prison subjected to inhuman conditions.

“These reports explicitly link overcrowding and degrading conditions at Cloverhill to rising levels of inter-prisoner violence.

“Cells designed for three are accommodating four with one person forced to sleep on a mattress on the floor. It warns that confining four men in such conditions for 22 hours a day or more creates a breeding ground for violence and poses a serious risk to life.

“These risks are further exacerbated by the absence of effective risk assessment processes on admission to the prison.”

There are some positive developments highlighted in the reports, including refurbishment of accommodation in the Mountjoy Medical Unit and improvements in education.

However, both facilities were found to be severely overcrowded, operating well above capacity with people living in conditions that amount to inhuman and degrading treatment.

In addition to the full implementation of all outstanding OIP recommendations, IPRT is calling for an immediate reduction to the prison population through enforceable population ceilings and alternatives to custody.

The NGO also says there is a need for timely repairs and investment in basic facilities, including showers, ventilation and bedding, as well as treating healthcare provision in prisons as a clear priority.   

Ms McCormack said: “It is evident that inspection reports and recommendations alone are not enough if they are left to gather dust.

“Immediate government action is required to reduce overcrowding, improve facilities, restore dignity, and ensure healthcare, education, and rehabilitation opportunities are prioritised for all people in custody.

“Prison overcrowding has spiralled, with record numbers of people in prison being broken almost daily. The minister must take urgent action to address the prison overcrowding crisis, including establishing an enforceable upper limit on the number of people in custody and introducing a supported bail service to reduce the numbers held on remand.

“We also reiterate our call on the government to pass the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) as a matter of urgency, to establish fully independent and robust oversight of prisons.”