As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service is committed to the provision of safe, secure and humane custody for people who are sent to prison in this State. As the Deputy is aware the prisoner complaints system was introduced by the Irish Prison Service in November 2012, based on a model recommended by the then-Inspector of Prisons.
All prisoners have the right to make a complaint at any time and are treated with the utmost seriousness. The current system categorises complaints according to their nature and seriousness, ranging from the most serious 'Category A' through to a 'Category F' complaint.
The most serious "Category A" complaints are those alleging assault or use of excessive force against a prisoner, ill treatment, racial abuse, discrimination, intimidation, threats or any other conduct against a prisoner of a nature and gravity likely to bring discredit on the Prison Service. Category A complaints are independently investigated by persons outside the Prison Service. Category B complaints are serious level complaints, which may include verbal abuse, inappropriate searches or any conduct against a prisoner of a nature likely to bring discredit on the Prison Service. Category C may include complaints about visits, phone calls, reception issues. Category D complaints can be made against professionals which include medical personnel and solicitors. Category E can be made by visitors to the prison.
Work is continuing on the completion of the necessary actions to introduce the new Prisoner Complaints System. This includes the drafting of the Statutory Instrument and the roll out of necessary training for Irish Prison Service staff. There is currently no mechanism in place to appeal an outcome of a complaint but this facility will be available for prisoners in the new complaints process. Unfortunately, it is the case that the impact of the Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions have delayed the completion of this work. My Officials continue to engage with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel with a view to completing work on the Statutory Instrument which will give legal effect to the new Prisoner Complaints System.
The Dochas Centre has a bed capacity of 146 female prisoners. The average number in Custody in 2020 was 120. The figures sought by the Deputy are set out in the tables below:
Category A - Complaints Dochas 2018-2021
|
Year
|
CATEGORY
|
Number
|
Outcome
|
|
2018
|
A
|
5
|
0 Upheld
|
|
2019
|
A
|
8
|
1 Upheld
|
|
2020
|
A
|
8 *
|
0 Upheld
|
|
2021 – ( June 2021)
|
A
|
1
|
Incomplete as of yet
|
* 4 complaints related to one incident and were investigated together.
Table 2 - Categories B-F Complaints Dochas 2018-2021
|
Year
|
|
Category B
|
Category C
|
Category D
|
Category E
|
Category F
|
|
2018
|
|
18 complaints
|
62 complaints
|
6 complaints
|
2 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
|
2019
|
|
10 complaints
|
41 complaints
|
3 complaints
|
1 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
|
2020
|
|
25 complaints
|
25 complaints
|
7 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
|
2021 (end April 2021)
|
|
6 complaints
|
7 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
0 complaints
|
These complaints were not upheld.
The Prison Service is acutely aware of the fact that women prisoners are a vulnerable group within the prison system and is aware that the supports for female offenders and their rehabilitative needs are very different to male offenders. The Deputy will wish to be aware that staff working with female offenders are provided with bespoke training and in February 2020 the Prison Service introduced a new tailored programme for staff to address the special needs of women prisoners called ‘Working with Women in Custody’.
