A report by Maynooth University has recommended the establishment of a dedicated support service for Foreign National Prisoners, similar what is provided for Irish prisoners abroad.
The research by the University's School of Law and Criminology and funded by the Irish Research Council highlights the needs and perspectives of Foreign National Prisoners (FNPs) in the Irish prison system.
Interviews were conducted with 82 FNPs who reported that they received no information and/or substantive assistance from consular staff where requested.
They also said they and their families would welcome assistance and support from charities or non profit organisations.
The research found that lack of proficiency in the English language exacerbated the difficulties encountered by many of the prisoners who were interviewed.
Difficulties included booking visitation slots and discussing their cases with their legal team.
Almost half the prisoners spoke about the impact of language barriers in their capacity to communicate with prison officers and fellow prisoners.
The research has acknowledged the introduction of prison focused language resources by the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas, however, it notes a reluctance to expand these initiatives beyond individual prisons and/or groups of motivated staff.
Interpretative services and diversity
Researchers looked at interpretative services; noting recent "controversy" when District Court Judge, Miriam Walsh, who stated that foreign nationals "know more English than we know ourselves".
She said she was "sick to the back teeth of people hiding behind interpreters", according to the report.
The comments were described as "reckless and unhelpful" by the Irish Network against Racism (INAR).
The issue of diversity amongst staff is highlighted in the report.
While it says there have been efforts to recruit more diverse criminal justice agency workforces in recent years, many of the FNPs highlighted that there were no prison staff from their country of origin, or that could speak their language.
Prisoner rights
Another issue raised in the report relates to information given to FNPs regarding their rights in prison.
The provision of information and accompanying facilitation of their right to consular assistance is established in both the Revised European Prison Rules and the Mandela Rules.
However, most participants did not receive assistance and if provided, this was experienced as "a perfunctory exercise" rather than a meaningful acknowledgement of the circumstances and/or offer of support or services.
Of the few participants who received any sort of support from consular staff, this amounted to the provision of a set of clothes (not including shoes) that arrived after four months of incarceration, and was not accompanied by any further information and/or offer of further support from the Embassy.
Supports for Foreign National Prisoners
The report contains seven recommendations which include the establishment of a dedicated post of Foreign National Liaison Officer within each prison with responsibility for FNP related issues.
It also suggests consistent and systematic provision of language classes and resources, as well as professional interpretation for legal consultations and disciplinary proceedings, for non-English speaking FNPs as a matter of urgency.
It recommends that the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO) support the establishment of a service - similar to that provided to Irish prisoners abroad by the ICPO - to address the needs of FNPs imprisoned in Ireland.
The ICPO was established by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in 1985 in response to concerns regarding Irish men and women in UK prisons.
It is a subcommittee of the Irish Episcopal Council for Emigrants (IECE) and comes under the Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care.
Bishop Martin Hayes, who is the Catholic Liaison Bishop to the Irish Prison Service, and Bishop Paul Dempsey, chair of the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO) have expressed support for the recommendations made in the Maynooth University report.
In a statement, Bishop Martin Hayes noted the pressure currently on prisons due to overcrowding.
Bishop Hayes acknowledged the amount time and effort invested in maintaining "harmonious environments" for the prison community which he said he was aware of from his pastoral visits to prisons around the country.
"The Maynooth University findings today indicate that Foreign National Prisoners face additional challenges such as maintaining family relationships, visitation, language barriers and a lack of consistency in the provision of professional interpretation services.
"So as to respect the needs of our diverse prison population, these particular requirements should be addressed as a matter of urgency."
Bishop Paul Dempsey said the ICPO service offered essential assistance to Irish prisoners abroad.
"It stands to reason that if prisoners - Irish or otherwise - are serving their sentence in another country, then they will experience specific additional challenges.
"We welcome this first comprehensive investigation that highlights the experience and specific needs of FNPs in the Irish Prison System. We hope this report raises awareness and ignites further investment in this area," he said.
