People with Disabilities in Ireland
4th Floor Jervis House
Jervis Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 87 21 74 4
Fax: 01 87 21 77 1
Email: info@pwdi.ie
The recent decision of the High Court to award the right to the Penal Reform Trust to sue the State on behalf of prisoners with psychiatric problems has been described as a crucial development in establishing a platform from which some basic human rights may now be won for the most vulnerable people in Irish society.
Speaking on behalf PwDI, Chief Executive Michael Ringrose said: "Despite a Disability strategy and a raft of new legislation in recent years, including the Equal Status Act 2000, nothing has changed for people with mental health difficulties in this society. They are the most disadvantaged and marginalised of all and existing in environments more akin to Caucsescu's Romania.
"New research shows that 78% of prisoners put into padded cells in solitary confinement have mental health difficulties and a significant proportion of the overall prison population has similar difficulties. Yet, there are no qualified psychiatric nurses employed in prisons. What kind of society are we living in?" he asked.
Mr Ringrose said his organisation "strongly supports the case made by the Penal Reform Trust of systematic deficiencies in the way prisoners with psychiatric problems are treated in prison."
"While the Court's decision is a very welcome one, it does display, yet again, that despite a plethora of new legislation, people with disabilities are continuing to have to resort to the courts for justice," he said.
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