Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 October 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill 2022: Discussion

Dr. Joe Garrihy:

I think it should be separate. Complaints have comprised a massive issue in Irish prisons for generations. To deal with the matter effectively, there should be a designated body. Under OPCAT, investigations are not supposed to be the role of NPMs and, therefore, an ombudsman would take on the burden of some of that workload.