Irish Penal Reform Trust

Lobbying Organisation Irish Penal Reform Trust

Date published 20 Sep, 2021

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 May, 2021 to 31 Aug, 2021

Specific Details Prisons Health, Mental Health and Accountability

Intended results Discuss progress of prison vaccine rollout and plans for unwinding of pandemic-related restrictions, including resumption of family visits Discuss priority areas for improvement in the area of mental health, addictions and imprisonment Seek an update on new prisoner complaints system and advocate for its urgent introduction Seek an update on the review of the Prison Rules 2007 and request wider public consultation

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Fíona Ní Chinnéide, Executive Director and Molly Joyce, Legal & Public Affairs Manager

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Virtual Meeting (1)

Meeting with the Director General of the Irish Prison Service and IPS Press and Program Manager to discuss areas including: High Level Task Force (mental health, addictions and imprisonment): new prisoner complaints system; review of Prison Rules 2007; Framework for the Unwinding of Prison Restrictions; seek an update on Healthcare Needs Assessment; and provide updates on IPRT's current and forthcoming research and policy projects.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Caron McCaffrey Director General (Irish Prison Service)