|
Home
Blog
Campaigns
Dún Laoghaire
Environment
Justice
Links
Newsletters
Planning
Policy
Press Releases
Questions
Speeches
Writings
You Tube
| |
|
Press Release: Justice 25
August 2006
Links to:
All Press Releases
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
Dún Laoghaire,
Environment,
Justice and
Latest Press Releases
|
|
 |
25 August 2006
Green Party
accuses McDowell of trying to hush-up prison report
- Cuffe calls on Minister to present plans to deal with crisis
|
The Green Party has accused Justice
Minister Michael McDowell of trying to hush-up a report by the
Inspector of Prisons by publishing it quietly and without comment,
on the Department's website.
Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciaran Cuffe TD said: "It is
interesting to note that the Minister for Justice, who is certainly
not known for his shyness in front of the media, released the Fourth
Annual Report of the Inspector of Prisons yesterday without comment.
Perhaps the Minister has finally realised that the escalating
crisis in the Irish prison system has moved beyond his control?"
Deputy Cuffe called for an independent investigation into the death
of two inmates in the prison yesterday and said the Minister must
present plans to deal with the crisis in the Irish prison system
immediately.
"The Prison service is essentially a Victorian model. It needs
dramatic and radical change to address the challenges of the
twenty-first century. The Minister has failed to recognise the need
for root and branch reform and in doing so, has failed to provide
adequate training, rehabilitation and education for Ireland's prison
population.
"A Prisons Inspectorate, completely independent of the Minister for
Justice needs to be established immediately. Instead of recognising
the need for a separate Inspectorate, Minister McDowell has placed
himself in charge of the Prison Service in an 'una duce, una voce'
manner.
"Radical reform of the Prison Visitor Committees is required to
allow for representation from Non-Governmental Organisations such as
human rights bodies.
"The Prison report released yesterday painted an appalling vista of
staff shortages, cutbacks and deplorable conditions in our prisons.
The time has come for action to address the problems of recidivism,
overcrowding, and psychiatric issues in the Irish Prison Service."
concluded Deputy Cuffe.
|
|
CiaranCuffe.com