The Irish Department of Justice and Equality is responsible for the prison administration as well as the management of healthcare in prisons.
In July 2018, an executive clinical lead was appointed to prison healthcare. Since then, the review of the organisation of prison healthcare has been agreed between the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Health and the Irish Prison Service.
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) visited Irish prisons in 2019. It found that “there has been considerable progress” regarding the provision of health care: “The CPT’s delegation found very good access to health care in prisons and a vastly improved approach to the treatment of substance use. The mental health nurses and visiting psychiatrists were also doing a good job in difficult circumstances. Further, the carers employed at Midlands Prison to assist the older population of prisoners were very good, displaying genuine warmth and affection towards their charges.” Nevertheless, the CPT criticised the lack of provision of interpretation services to facilitate the communication between incarcerated non-English speakers and the healthcare staff. The CPT also noted that the Irish prisons continue to incarcerate severely mentally ill persons.

As of mid-February 2020, on the advice of the ERPT, the administration started supplying staff with protective equipment (PPE). The ERPT initiated, along with the Irish Prison Service College, an upskilling and training of all staff on the use of PPE. On 31 March 2020, temperature screening started to be systematically carried out at prison entrances. Social distancing protocols were implemented: marking of floor areas with 2 metres separation lines and posting of signage throughout the premises. All new incoming prisoners were placed in quarantine for 14 days and “swabbed” after six days to prevent the spread of the virus within the prison population. A contact tracing method was implemented to quickly isolate prisoners or members of staff when a positive case was suspected or identified.
A few days later, Cloverhill Remand Centre, which houses the majority of the country’s remand prisoners and records an average of 100 entries and exits per day, adapted its meal distribution. Food was distributed to prisoners in small groups, respecting distancing measures. Cups and plates were replaced by disposable cardboard containers. Prison officers were required to wear protective equipment (gown, mask, goggles) during every interaction with prisoners. In July 2020, the authorities estimated that the additional cost of COVID-19 related measures was around five million euros. This included the replacement of quarantined prison officers, provision of sanitary protection and videocall equipment to hold certain hearings.

Between April and the end of June 2020, people over the age of 70 and those with chronic illnesses were automatically isolated (“cocooning” measure). Many of them were held in cells for periods of up to 30 hours.

While the prevention protocols curbed the spread of the virus in prison, observers alerted the authorities on the significant impact of certain measures on prisoners’ mental health. The Prisons Inspector and the University of Maynooth jointly led a project to evaluate the consequences of the “cocooning” measures on prisoners. In April 2020, they distributed 86 notebooks to vulnerable prisoners quarantined under the “cocooning” measure for them to write their diary. Three months later, the Prisons Inspector presented to the government a few abstracts from the diaries. The texts demonstrated the harshness of the isolation, with prisoners expressing suicidal and depressive feelings. Concerned about the deteriorating mental health of prisoners, the Inspector made recommendations to adopt more flexible and compassionate quarantine measures.

On 3 April 2020, four prison officers tested positive for COVID-19 at Mountjoy (2), Cork (1) and Portlaoise (1) prisons. Amongst the prison population, 142 were isolated but none was found positive.
No COVID-19 cases amongst prisoners were reported before 22 August 2020. The first case was a 23-year-old woman who had just been incarcerated in Dóchas women prison (Dublin). Her infection was confirmed during her first 14 days of quarantine, as required for all new prisoners. Three other cases, identified in August and September, had equally developed symptoms during their first period of quarantine. The authorities asserted that “each positive case was a recently committed prisoner from the community and none of the cases have been acquired within the prison environment”.
On 30 October 2020, five prisoners were tested positive at Midlands prison and were isolated. Tests were done on all other prisoners and staff of the facility. At this point, the administration issued a note dedicated to the families of prisoners incarcerated in this facility. The Director of Care & Rehabilitation and the Governor of the Midlands prison gave interviews on local radios to reassure families on the management of the outbreak.
On 2 November 2020, several staff members were reported positive, although no precise number was communicated. On 6 November 2020, a person detained at Limerick prison was tested positive. All prisoners and staff members were tested twice, at 6 days of interval. Six staff members were declared positive.

On 24 March 2020, more than 200 prisoners with a remaining sentence of three months or less were released. The administration extended the measure to those serving six months or less. The authorities affirm that factors such as housing and health status are taken into account, and that the administration is coordinating with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Ireland Health Service (HSE). In four weeks, a total of 476 people were released, that is about one in eight prisoners. The prison population decreased from 4,235 to 3,772 prisoners between March and October 2020.
Prisoners on temporary release were granted longer intervals for signing in with IPS, going from weekly to monthly appointments. The aim was “to reduce footfall in and out of the prisons, and to free up administrative staff to mitigate any depletion in prison officer numbers”.

Certain activities, such as work and training, were curtailed to reduce prison movements and interactions, and the prison schools were closed. While prison gyms remained open, their capacity for use was significantly reduced. The staff overseed the cleaning of the equipment before and Prisoners most vulnerable due to age or underlying health conditions were provided with gloves and face masks when exercising. “Cocooning” prisoners were not allowed to use the gym.
In the fall, Mountjoy prison and Maynooth University partnered to allow prisoners to access online university courses.
Activities were further restricted at Midlands prison after the discovery of positive cases late October. The administration assured that prisoners would have access to in-cell learning, such as learning supports broadcasted on the prison TV channel. Prisoners involved in essential work and training were still able to pursue their activities.

On 13 March 2020, the prison administration announced strict restrictions on visitation rules. Visits were limited to 15 minutes once a week per prisoner. Visitors under the age of 18 and those with flu symptoms were not admitted. Two weeks later, all family visits were suspended.
As a compensatory measure, prisons gradually introduced videocalls. The Irish Penal Reform Trust commended the successful implementation of videoconferencing across the country’s prisons.

By June 2020, the administration was planning a gradual lift of the restrictions in two phases. Every prisoner would be allowed one 15-minutes personal visit every two weeks from one person over 18. A videocall could also be organised during the two weeks interval. Prisoners could replace the in-person visit with a second videocall. This was implemented on 20 July 2020.

The prison service published a guide for prisoners’ relatives, informing them of the sanitary rules. They were to have their temperature checked, fill in a health questionnaire, follow social distancing rules, wash their hands and wear a mask provided by the prison.
On 17 August 2020, the second phase started: visits were still limited to once a fortnight but allowed two visitors, including children. Late September, a prisoner of Portlaoise prison seized the High Court to protest against the restrictions on visits. While the usual policy allows for a 30 minutes visit, the 15 minutes limit was inconsistent with prison regulations. IPRT then noted that the duration of visits had been increased to 20 minutes.
In early November and after discovering positive cases in Midlands prison, the administration announced that some changes would be made to visits and calls and a schedule would be set.

On 30 March 2020, IPRT submitted to the prison administration and the Ministry of Justice a list of recommendations and measures aimed at limiting the impact of the pandemic. The organisation called, inter alia, for a significant reduction in the prison population, for support for prisoners upon release, and for the introduction of preventive and protective measures in prisons.
In July 2020, IPRT urged the authorities to start reforming the complaint system, as promised four years ago. The organisation stated that the current internal system did not meet the criteria of an independent mechanism. It claimed that the current restrictive measures made independent external oversight even more necessary. Of the 24 serious complaints received from prisoners during the first half of the year, 21 were still being investigated as of Fall 2020, and two had not been examined, as the inquiries had been put on hold during the pandemic.
On 29 July 2020, the Prisons Inspector shared concern about the harshness of the “cocooning” measures and consequences on the mental health of prisoners. He called for more flexible and compassionate quarantine measures.