What's New ?  |  About the CPT  |  Members  |  States  |  Visits  |  Documents  |  Database

Press Release

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture:
Publication of the report on the visit to Ireland in 1998 and of the Irish Government's response

STRASBOURG, 17.12.99 – The Irish Government has requested the publication of the report of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on its visit to Ireland in 1998, and of the interim report drawn up by the Irish authorities in response.

Under Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the Committee in relation to a visit, its report and its consultations with the State concerned are confidential. However, the State may decide to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention.

The CPT's visit to Ireland was carried out from 31 August to 9 September 1998, in the context of the Committee's programme of periodic visits for 1998. The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:

Police (Garda Síochána) establishments

• Pearse Street Garda Station, Dublin
• Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station, Dublin
• Finglas Garda Station, Dublin
• Henry Street Divisional Headquarters, Limerick
• Immigration Service, Shannon Airport
• Shannon Garda Station

Prisons

• Mountjoy Prison, Dublin
• Limerick Prison
• Portlaoise Prison

Psychiatric establishments

• Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum

The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 40 of the 41 member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc.

The Committee's task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The CPT's report on its visit to Ireland (76 pages) and the Irish Government's response (104 pages) may be obtained from:

• the CPT’s Internet Site: www.cpt.coe.int

• the Council of Europe Press Department:
  Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3.88.41.25.97; fax +33/(0)3.88.41.27.90; E-mail pressunit@coe.int
  Cathie BURTON, tel. +33/(0)3.88.41.28.93; fax +33/(0)3.88.41.27.90; E-mail pressunit@coe.int

• the CPT’s Secretariat:
  tel. +33/(0)3.88.41.23.88; fax : +33/(0)3.88.41.27.72; E-mail cptdoc@coe.int

DUBLIN

• Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform:
  tel. + 353/1.602.85.05 or + 353/1.602.83.88, fax: + 353/1.602.84.70, Internet Site: www.irlgov.ie/justice

A six page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.