Fíona Ní Chinnéide

The penal reform group made the remarks in response to a court judgment in a case taken by a remand prisoner who has been kept in his cell for 24 hours a day with no access to exercise since developing a cough.

The High Court found that the temporary nature of the man’s situation and the logistical challenges faced by the Irish Prison Service in having so many prisoners cocooning or in quarantine justified the limitation of his entitlements under the Prison Rules.

Fíona Ní Chinnéide, IPRT executive director, said: “If the minimum entitlements outlined by the Prison Rules cannot be met due to staffing and logistical pressures during this time, then a further reduction in prison numbers is needed.

“While much remains unknown about COVID-19, we do know that the virus will remain in the community for quite some time. Responses that rely on lock-up for extended periods will exacerbate fears and tensions and increase the risk of violent incidents in prison. This is in addition to the serious risk to health that an outbreak of COVID-19 in crowded prisons would present.”

The group has called for independent monitoring bodies such as the Office of the Inspector of Prisons to continue to be “guaranteed access” to prisons and prisons data, as well as being allocated “additional resources to meet the significant demand that this unprecedented situation presents”.

Ms Ní Chinnéide said: “With limitations being placed on the rights of people in custody, including those on remand, stringent oversight and accountability mechanisms are more crucial now than ever.”