Call for ombudsman to hear prisoner complaints

AN INDEPENDENT and effective complaints body such as a prison ombudsman must be established to ensure prisoners are protected from ill-treatment and from reprisals as a consequence of their complaints, the UN Committee Against Torture has recommended.

Making its concluding observations of its first examination of Ireland, UNCAT makes it clear that a prisoner complaints system is essential to address and to prevent the ill-treatment of prisoners.

IPRT executive director Liam Herrick said the UN committee had given an “unambiguous direction” to the Government to establish an independent and effective complaints body for prisoners.