Plans to care for Irish prisoners abroad

A REPORT on Irish prisoners abroad has recommended the establishment of a special unit within the Department of Foreign Affairs to deal with the consular needs of such inmates.

The report also called for the establishment of a register of prisoners abroad and a hardship fund.

Speaking at the launch of his report in Dublin yesterday, former Fianna Fáil TD, Chris Flood, said a budget of €200,000 for such a fund could be used to assist prisoners and their families in particularly difficult cases. He also recommended that Irish prisoners in foreign jails should receive a consular visit at least once a year and twice in “more difficult or distant” countries.

The report reveals that there are around 800 documented cases of Irish prisoners serving sentences in foreign jurisdictions, although Mr Flood admitted the true figure could be as high as 1,200. Over 700 of the total are incarcerated in British prisons, with 28 in the US and 14 in Spain.

The report also highlighted how 128 overseas prisoners who had applied for transfers home had served out their sentences in Irish prisons. A further 177 applications from other Irish prisoners abroad were withdrawn or refused for a variety of reasons.

Mr Flood said there was some evidence to suggest that a large number of Irish prisoners abroad had been jailed for drug-related offences.

The former TD said the Government’s support for Irish prisoners through its embassies and consular services was “generally up to date with good international practice”. Mr Flood also said he was very impressed with the commitment of staff at the Department of Foreign Affairs to the issue of overseas prisoners.

However, he highlighted how constant vigilance was required as there was a disproportionate number of suicides among Irish inmates at Brixton prison in the early half of this decade.

Mr Flood said it appeared that Irish prisoners in one of Britain’s largest jails had felt they were unfairly singled out which had led to the dismissal of a number of prison officers.

Welcoming the report, the Minister for Foreign

Affairs, Dermot Ahern said he would be sympathetic to implementing many of its recommendations.

Although he did not commit the Government to the establishment of a special hardship fund, Mr Ahern said some ex-gratia payments had been made in the past for individual cases of hardship.

Mr Ahern said he was very conscious of the problems of isolation, communication and cultural difficulties experienced by Irish prisoners abroad as well as their families.

Although Irish people who commit crime abroad must face the consequences of their actions before the local criminal justice system, Mr Ahern said the State still had to ensure they were not discriminated against as foreign prisoners.

The Minister encouraged all travellers, especially young people intending to take a foreign holiday to celebrate the Leaving Cert results, to take out travel insurance and also to familiarise themselves with contact details for the nearest Irish embassy or consular service at their destination before leaving Ireland.

Mr Ahern also announced the allocation of a further grant of €218,000 to the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas.