UN special rapporteur criticises Irish solitary confinement figures

The United Nations and prison reform groups have criticised the use of solitary confinement in Ireland following the release of figures under Freedom of Information legislation.

Data obtained by The Detail shows that Irish prisoners were held in solitary confinement for 22 hours a day for months and even over a year.

On 1 January 2016, there were 51 inmates being held in their cell for at least 22 hours a day, with half of them having been held there for over 100 days and at least nine having been there for over a year.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has not released information on the length of time inmates spent in solitary confinement before now.

A detailed break-down is available from The Detail’s website.

The UN special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, told The Detail: “There is no question to me that those people are suffering what constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and perhaps depending on the gravity of their suffering - even torture.

“It is disheartening to see that such periods of solitary confinement are still occurring, but like in all matters of international human rights law you have to campaign over a long period of time to get results.”

Mr Mendez said the Government and prison service was obliged to review its practices under the UN Convention Against Torture.

Irish Penal Reform Trust director Fíona Ní Chinnéide added: “For years, there has been a lack of clarity around the lengths of time that individual prisoners are being held on 22/23 hour lock up. Finally we have the information, but the figures give cause for serious concern.”

She also said the IPRT would publish research next year on how solitary confinement could be abolished in Ireland.

She said: “Balancing prisoner safety with humane prison regimes is a difficult challenge for all prison systems – but locking up individuals for long periods of time cannot be the answer. IPRT believes that the practice can and should be abolished in Irish prisons.”