Irish Examiner view: Prison practice is shocking and unacceptable

A solicitor was forced to remove her bra in order to attend a meeting with her client in Cloverhill Prison.

The Taoiseach has described as “quite shocking” and “unacceptable” that a solicitor was instructed to remove her bra during a visit to Cloverhill Prison to meet with a client.

The incident, as revealed in the Irish Examiner, is, indeed, shocking and unacceptable but what is even more shocking is the indication that such a practice is widespread. The story has sparked further complaints from women who were subjected to similar experiences while visiting Irish prisons.

More worrying is the fact that a female prison guard who has worked in a number of Irish prisons said she has witnessed the practice “a million times”, even though the Irish Prison Service says it is not its policy to request visitors to remove undergarments.

Another female lawyer described how a male guard pushed a metal detector wand beneath her bra strap and “snapped it” back, telling her the bra “was the problem”.

In fact, he is the problem and should lose his job for such sexist bullying. That may cause his colleagues to think twice before indulging in such behaviour.