Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has welcomed a report on Irish prisoners abroad and has announced a grant of €218,000 to the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas.
This is the first time the Government has commissioned a report into the plight of Irish citizens in prisons abroad.
According to the ICPO, there are at least 800 Irish people incarcerated abroad, 85% of them in England and Wales.
The report, by former TD Chris Flood, recommends the establishment of a dedicated unit within the Department of Foreign Affairs to deal with prisoners and provide support for their families.
It also calls for the establishment of a register of Irish prisoners abroad.
The document has been welcomed by the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas as providing a clear template on providing outreach services.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, has said the government would now examine the recommendations.
