Inspector of Prisons

The Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory, independent office established under the Prisons Act, 2007.

The key role assigned to the Inspector is to carry out regular inspections of the 14 prisons and places of detention in the State and to present a report on each institution visited as well as an annual report to the Minister for Justice.

These reports are published by the Minister and are an essential part of our penal reform agenda. Copies of all reports are available from the Prison Libraries or at the Office of the Inspector of Prisons website.

To carry out his functions the inspector may:

enter any prison or part of a prison at any request and obtain from the Governor a copy of any books, records, other documents or extracts from such documents
in the course of an inspection or arising out of an inspection bring any issues of concern to the notice of the Governor of the prison concerned, the Director General of the Irish Prison Service or the Minister

The Inspector of Prisons investigates the deaths of prisoners in custody.

Such independent investigations apply to prisoners who are in the custody of the Irish Prison Service, whether or not the death actually occurs within the prison walls and to prisoners who have recently been let out on temporary release.

The Inspector of Prisons has oversight of the Prisoner Complaints Procedure.

Contact details

The office can be contacted by post, phone, fax or email:

Office of the Inspector of Prisons

Address:

24 Cecil Walk, Kenyon Street, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, E45 NN73

Email:

info@oip.ie

Phone number:

+353 67 42210

Fax:

+353 67 42219

Office of the Inspector of Prisons: Dublin Office

Address:

Pembroke Hall Offices, 38-39 Fitzwilliam Square West, Dublin 2, D02 NX53

Email:

info@oip.ie

Phone number:

+353 (0) 67 42210