Irish Penal Reform Trust

05/06/2026

New figures show the annual cost of keeping one person in prison has exceeded €100,000 for the first time — reaching €103,334 per prison place last year.

These figures were reported today by BreakingNews.ie: https://bit.ly/4x8wQT0

This increase (from the previous calculation of €99,072) comes at a time when Ireland’s prisons are operating at 124% capacity, with hundreds of people sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Yet despite record spending, outcomes are not improving. Prison remains the most expensive and least effective response to many forms of offending.

IPRT highlighted the need to address the root causes of offending — poverty, inequality, homelessness, addiction and mental ill‑health — in our recent report "From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish Criminal Justice System". Without tackling these drivers, expanding the prison estate will not resolve overcrowding or reduce reoffending.

Community‑based alternatives offer a more effective, humane and sustainable approach. Probation supervision, restorative justice and supported temporary release cost less than 10% of a prison place and deliver better outcomes for individuals, families and public safety.

Budget 2026 made welcome progress with increased funding for the Probation Service, but investment remains heavily weighted towards prison expansion. Building more cells will take years, cost millions, and will not address the policy choices — particularly the overuse of short custodial sentences — that drive overcrowding.

A justice system that prioritises effective, community‑based responses is better for people, communities and public expenditure.

Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation

The cost of maintaining an available, staffed prison space reached €103,334 last year, representing a 28.6 per cent surge in operational spending over a five-year period.

05/06/2026

IPRT has written to the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, sharing concerns raised by colleagues in the Law Society of Ireland, Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Bar Council about the proposed reform of the District Court Criminal Legal Aid scheme.

The proposal to replace the current fee‑per‑appearance model with a flat fee risks, in practice, capping the level of legal representation available to an accused person. We are concerned that this would undermine the right to a fair trial and have a disproportionate impact on people with complex needs, including those experiencing addiction, mental ill‑health, homelessness or language barriers.

At a time when the availability of criminal defence solicitors is already at crisis point, the proposed model may further reduce practitioner participation and deepen existing access‑to‑justice challenges.

IPRT is urging the Department to reconsider the proposal in its current form and to engage meaningfully with practitioners and other stakeholders before any reforms proceed.

Read more on our website: https://www.iprt.ie/iprt-submissions/iprt-letter-to-the-minister-for-justice-regarding-the-proposed-reform-of-the-district-court-criminal-legal-aid-scheme/

04/06/2026

This is the last set of recommendations of our report ''From Punishment to Prevention''. If you are interested in learning more about it, please take a look at the full report on the link below:

Link: https://iprt.ie/upcoming-events/round-up-from-punishment-to-prevention-poverty-inequality-and-pathways-into-the-irish-criminal-justice-system/

26/05/2026

This is our third set of recommendations from ''From Punishment to Prevention'' and it focuses on ''Alternatives to custody''.

Here are the next key reforms from our report.

25/05/2026

Last week, Niamh McCormack was on KFM to discuss the report on the death in custody of Mr D in 2021. She detailed the heartbreaking details of Mr D’s death and emphasised the importance of accountability for the decisions that resulted in the failure to locate the key to Mr D’s cell and the administration of antibiotics that triggered an allergic reaction.

Link:

The man died in Midlands Prison in Portlaoise in 2021 after staff were unable to locate the key to his cell while he was having an allergic reaction

25/05/2026

WE'RE HIRING

IPRT is recruiting a Policy Officer to join our Advocacy team.

The Policy Officer will contribute to the work of the policy team, conducting research and providing support in drafting IPRT publications and submissions. The post offers an excellent opportunity for an ambitious candidate to work in a high profile, dynamic and effective non-governmental organisation.

IPRT is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as well as from people with criminal records. We don’t ask for information about convictions during the recruitment process.

Link in the bio.

22/05/2026

Niamh McCormack spoke on Morning Ireland on the report of Mr D, who died in custody in 2021. She sets out the distressing circumstances of Mr D’s death and the need for accountability in the decision-making that led to the inability to find the key to Mr D’s cell and the prescription of antibiotics that caused the allergic shock.

20/05/2026

IPRT is truly honoured that President Catherine Connolly has accepted our invitation to become our Patron. We believe our work closely aligns with her vision to be a President for all the people, especially for those often excluded or without a voice. Knowing that the President of Ireland is Patron of IPRT will provide hope and inspiration for so many people behind high prison walls, those in the community with lived experience of the criminal justice system and their families.

We thank the President for her empathy, compassion and understanding of many of the complex issues facing people in the justice system and her focus on treating everyone fairly and with dignity. Together we look forward to realising our vision of a just humane Ireland where prison is truly a last resort.

19/05/2026

Anne costello from the Traveller Justice Initiative was delighted to attend the graduation ceremony in Portlaoise Prison for 12 men who qualified as mediators.

The accredited mediation course was developed and facilitated by the Traveller Mediation Service and Blossom Development : Connected Living and Transforming Conflict and was supported by the The Mediators' Institute of Ireland, and the Education and Training Boards Ireland staff in Portlaoise Prison.

The graduates spoke powerfully about the impact of the peer-mediation training on their lives, describing it as one of the most transformational experiences they have had in prison. It was inspiring to witness their testimonies, commitment, and growth. Huge credit to all involved.

Also in attendance were Emily Sheary from Restorative Justice in the Community, Luke Ecock from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, Fiona Dooley from the Irish Prison Service, Andrea O’Neill, President of the Mediators Institute of Ireland and Catherine O’Connell of Blossom Development.

Pictured: Anne Costello, Traveller Justice Initiative, Emily Sheary, Restorative Justice in the Community, Luke Ecock from the Department of Children, Disability &,Equality, Leah Quinn, and Chris McDonagh from the Traveller Mediation Service