Plan for shared cells regrettable, says trust

Expansion plans for Cork Prison which include double occupancy cells have been described as “regrettable and regressive” by the Irish Penal Reform Trust.

In a strongly worded statement issued last night, the trust said having two inmates per cell ran counter to European prison rules, which state that single occupancy “should be the norm”, and double-occupancy used only “in exceptional circumstances”.

The trust’s executive director Liam Herrick said instead of increasing capacity at Cork Prison, there was a need for “increased use of rigorous community-based alternatives, investment in probation and community services, an overall reduction of the use of imprisonment for less serious offences, and better reintegration supports before and after release to support a reduction in re-offending”.