‘Prisons unable to rehabilitate’- Bishop Hayes

Bishop of Kilmore visited Mountjoy on April 4.

The Bishop of Kilmore, Martin Hayes, has expressed a number of concerns over the state of the prison committal system in Ireland, on issues such as overcrowding, its ability to rehabilitate, as well as the impact of drugs.

The liaison bishop with prison chaplains, Bishop Hayes, gave his damning assessment based on observations made during a planned visit to Mountjoy Prison, April 4.

In a statement released, Bishop Hayes thanked the prison chaplains, management, staff, and prisoners for their welcome. He says he was able to move throughout the facility unhindered, and observe conditions as “they exist”.

The main purpose the local senior cleric says was to offer support to the Mountjoy chaplaincy team in their pastoral outreach, a role he says is “valued” by both prison management and staff.

“At all times I am conscious of the victims of crime and, in particular, of those people bereaved by the loss of family or friends due to the actions of convicted criminals,” says Bishop Hayes, who acknowledged that “people are sent to prison in the hope that they will mend their ways; that they will be rehabilitated. However, our prison system, despite the best of intentions, is struggling to achieve rehabilitation for those in custody. It is in this context that we cannot forget about those who are sent to prison, the men and women who are serving time for crimes that they committed.”

See next week's newspaper for full report.