Bed crisis sends mentally ill inmates to jail
It is a matter of grave concern that inmates who should be in the Central Mental Hospital are being held in Roscommon's Castlerea prison, the committee said.
There are also "very unsatisfactory" difficulties in securing transfers from the mainly remand centre, Cloverhill, to the hospital in Dundrum.
The criticisms emerged with the release of hard-hitting Prison Visiting Committee reports for 2003.
Overcrowding in Cork Prison is so bad 270 inmates housed in a facility designed for 150 that as many as six prisoners are sharing cells without in-cell sanitation. The reports also highlight a chronic lack of educational, medical and psychiatric facilities in many of the State's facilities.
This appears to bolster the argument made by prison doctors, currently on strike partly because they have accused management of failing to provide proper support facilities.
In addition, the Midlands prison visiting committee reports that treatment for drug use is non-existent despite 80% of inmates having been committed for narcotics offences.
The strength of the criticism contained in the various reports has surprised some prison watchers who have, in the past, accused visiting committees of lacking bite and being top heavy in political appointees.
It is the first time all reports compiled by visiting committees and submitted to the Department of Justice have been published.
Fine Gael's justice spokesperson Jim O'Keeffe is delighted at the publication of the reports as he has been critical of the system.
"This is the first time I have seen reports that appear to be worth reading," said Mr O'Keeffe, who called for reform of the system in a paper published just over a year ago.
Labour justice spokesman Joe Costello said the reports were "shocking reading, with a catalogue of Dickensian conditions, overcrowding and completely inadequate facilities".
"A series of massive improvements and refurbishment must be carried out without delay on our prisons," said Mr Costello.
Justice Minister Michael McDowell has announced a multi-million euro prison building programme, with facilities planned for Dublin and Spike Island in Cork.
Despite the various criticisms, the committees praised the running of many of the prisons.
Castlerea, Arbour Hill and St Patrick's are "well run", the provision of in-cell televisions in Cork is a "welcome development", Wheatfield is in "pristine condition, Mountjoy's kitchen operates to the highest standard, while news of the closure of the Curragh was "devastating".
