Mick Clifford: Why we need proper scrutiny of what happens behind prison walls 

The continued official reluctance to allow scrutiny of the system, despite repeated instances which suggest it is not functioning as designed, doesn’t serve the best interests of staff, prisoners or wider society’s responsibility in maintaining a humane and functioning system

It is an indictment of the system that prisoners' complaints are treated in such a shoddy manner. Prisoners forfeit the right to liberty but they retain basic human rights such as complaining about aspects of the system in which they are incarcerated. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Last week, the annual report of the Inspector of Prisons (IoP) was released to minimal fanfare. There was only one real item of concern in the 2021 report by the outgoing inspector, Patricia Gilheaney. She pointed out the complaints system for prisoners is not fit for purpose.

It is an indictment of the system that prisoners' complaints are treated in such a shoddy manner. Prisoners forfeit the right to liberty but they retain basic human rights such as complaining about aspects of the system in which they are incarcerated. These rights are quite obviously not being observed.