Rate of Irish inmates abroad doubles in 3 years

The number of Irish people serving prison sentences overseas has more than doubled in the past three years, to 1,054 known cases and they often endure extreme hardship.

While the majority of these are in British prisons, 20 Irish people are in jails across Europe, four in Australia, and 41 in North America.

There are seven Irish people serving sentences in South and Central American prisons — mostly for drug-related offences.