Phone recordings ‘an embarrassment’ for prison chief

Prison director general Michael Donnellan said he is “embarrassed” by the recording of phone calls between 139 prisoners currently in custody and their solicitors.

He said there were “implications” for prisoner rights and solicitor-client privilege but said no one outside the prison system had access to the recordings.

However, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) said there had to be a comprehensive investigation and called on the Prison Service to apologise to those affected.