Next year before Irish Prison Service mental health taskforce starts work 

The Irish Prison Service said there is an 'urgent need' to improve services for inmates with psychiatric illnesses

The Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture report detailed glaring problems in the treatment of prisoners with psychiatric illnesses. File Picture.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) met the departments of justice and health this week to discuss the issue of mental illness among prisoners following last week’s damning findings in a European inspection report.

However, the Department of Justice has said it will be early 2021 before the planned work of the promised high-level taskforce on mental health, addiction and prisons is agreed.