Irish Examiner View: Prison investigations put on hold

Political anoraks of a certain age may remember Tony Blair’s formidable gatekeeper Anji Hunter. However, most political anoraks will remember her infamous, darkly cynical phrase: “A good day to bury bad news.” She uttered it as jets crashed into New York’s World Trade Center in September 2001.

It is, unfortunately, very difficult not to get at least a whiff of Hunter’s perspective in the decision to suspend investigations into allegations of malpractice in the prison service.

Caron McCaffrey, the director general of the Irish Prison Service (IPS), ruled that investigations are not essential at this time. Disclosures being investigated independently involved claims of fraud, malpractice and falsifying records, including one at governor level. Some are well advanced.

Were conditions in our prisons so lax that they facilitated the spread of the pandemic, authorities would be criticised. However, these investigations were conducted virtually, so they do not seem likely conduits for infection.

The impression that the IPS might be using the pandemic to close down investigations seems justified by the service’s poor record in self-regulation. It has form in this area, form that endures, despite one well-meaning pronouncement after another from either the service or Government. There are

issues of transparency and credibility that Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan must address. He must also say whether he approves of the investigations’ suspensions or not.