PROGRESS HAS been made in cleaning up Limerick Prison, said Judge Michael Reilly, the inspector of prisons, in his latest report.
In a report published last November the judge criticised many aspects of the prison, such as dirty toilets and cleaning areas, broken and boarded-up windows, unpainted walls and lack of proper record-keeping about those in isolation cells.
At that time he said he would monitor improvements and issue regular reports, starting in January and continuing in March and May. He carried out a number of inspections, both announced and unannounced, and his March report is now on the Department of Justice website.
He said he had been in discussion with the director general of the Irish Prison Service about keeping proper records on safety observation and close supervision cells, to comply with best practice. The director general had agreed new standard operating procedures for such cells, throughout the prison service.
The January report said there were still dirty yards, filthy urinals and blocked toilets in many areas. Judge Reilly reported that in recent visits there were clean toilets and yards, although more needed to be done. He also approved prototype replacement windows in Perspex, which are due to be installed by April 20th.
While in-cell sanitation was not being provided, prisoners were being allowed out of their cells on demand to use a toilet.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said he was pleased there had been progress.