Ms Maria Joyce:

I echo what Ms Costello said. There is a need for an open prison. The prison system has to do more in terms of community service and community education. It needs to do more to keep people with lesser sentences for minor crimes out of the prison system so it does not become a revolving door for them in that regard.

Yes, issues such as homelessness, poverty and negative experiences of education where they have not had opportunities with regard to third level and ongoing education or employment of course have impacts for women in prison. I echo what has already been said. The point about the intergenerational impact in regard to the cycle of prison is very real for some. Certainly, parents in prison, either one or the other or both, can only be a negative experience for their children. We have seen it time and again when Traveller women are talking about their experiences in prison and the families and children they are leaving at home. It is a very significant issue. When they have children who may already be in care, that will create additional barriers on their release to trying to engage with their children, or if the children have gone into care as a direct result of them going into prison. It is not about ensuring the care of children; it is about ensuring contact with parents and a service that is not approaching it from a perspective where there is discrimination and racism in terms of how services are delivered.