Third of prisoners awaiting mental health services, report finds

A general view of Cloverhill Prison in Dublin

Approximately one in three prisoners is on a waiting list for mental health services, according to a new report by the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT).

The Progress in the Penal System (PIPS) report found that in 2022 the use of solitary confinement in Irish prisons increased, the proportion of people accommodated in single cells decreased, the average number of people on remand increased by 23% and overcrowding remained a consistent feature of closed prisons, particularly in women’s prisons.