The report also addresses extraordinary rendition, abortion and the treatment of non-traditional families.
The Shadow Report, complied by the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, Free Legal Advice Centre and Irish Penal Reform Trust, was launched this morning ahead of Ireland's appearance before the UN's Human Rights Committee in Geneva tomorrow.
Read the report in full here.
The report examines Ireland's compliance with UN human rights standards. It poses a number of questions for UNHRC representatives to ask Irish officials tomorrow and makes recommendations for change.
In relation to the Irish penal system, the report says conditions of detention here are a matter of concern.
It says that sanitation in four Irish prisons is inadequate, with slopping out still in practice.
The document also claims that overcrowding in a number of prisons, including Mountjoy and the Dochas Centre, has become worse in recent months.
It also expresses concern that the net effect of the building of a new prison at Thornton Hall will increase significantly the number of people detained in prison.
It recommends that a concerted effort is required to address the needs of prisoners from ethnic minority backgrounds, who are in detention for immigration-related reasons.
Concern is also expressed about the practice of imprisoning people for not paying debts, and the report calls for the amendment of the law of contempt to prohibit this practice.
On extraordinary rendition, it criticises Ireland's failure to carry out searches of suspect flights and willingness to rely on diplomatic assurances from the US.
It also calls for the setting up of an independent inquiry into the illegal transfer of detainees through Irish airports.
The report examines Ireland's policy on abortion, and expresses concern about the Government's failure to protect the health of women by not introducing legislation aimed at clarifying the legal implications of the various constitutional referendums held here.
In relation to non-traditional families, the report says the State has been slow to afford any legal recognition to such family groups.
It also accuses the Government of enacting legislation which specifically discriminates against same-sex couples.
While acknowledging that the new Civil Partnership Bill seems to provide for similar rights and protections as marriage, the report says it does not indicate what the State's intentions are in relation to taxation, social welfare and the care and protection of children.
The report welcomes the setting up of the Garda Ombudsman Commission, but is concerned about the suggestion that the commission may seek to 'lease-back' some investigations to the garda, which it says would be a retrograde step.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said the issues are being dealt with today and tomorrow in Geneva by a delegation led by the Attorney General.
The Department says it is not making any further comment until the matters have been fully dealt with there by the UN's Human Rights Committee.
