Impressive piece of work highlighting a very invisible grouping. Really helpful to see the voices of families with a loved one in prison overseas reflected too.

A new IPRT report: “Paying the Price – The Cost & Impact of Imprisonment on Families in Ireland” by Dr Sara Singleton (TASC) reveals the financial and emotional burdens families face when a loved one is imprisoned. 📄 Read the report: https://t.co/l6K6yBpc7J 🧵 #PayingThePrice

Thanks @Safehomeireland for a fantastic afternoon marking 25 years and launching the new website - a great achievement, well done to all involved!

Today sees the long awaited publication of the Sentencing Bill. It offers an opportunity to begin to restore our justice system to a more proportionate, sustainable, and effective footing. Read our full response in the link below. https://t.co/HAgmsAdgSn

ICPO Caseworker Ciara Kirrane recently met with the Irish Pastoral Centre(IPC) in Boston. Incredible work being done by the staff and volunteers of the IPC. Humbling to see their dedication, care and commitment to some of the most vulnerable members of the Irish community.

The ICPO works closely with Irish support groups in Australia and the USA. ICPO Caseworker Damian Kirwan was delighted to meet with colleagues from the Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland (IASAQ) while in Australia to visit Irish people in prison there.

The ICPO is grateful for the support provided by the DFA Consular Assistance Unit and Irish diplomatic missions worldwide. Our Australia caseworker Damian Kirwan recently met with the Irish Ambassador to Australia Tim Mawe, and staff from the Irish Embassy and Consulates.

Prisoners from Rebibbia prison in Rome together with the prison chaplain were invited to participate in Pope Leo's general audience last Wednesday.

Yesterday, Deputy Amb. Paul and Consular Officer Catriona met with Damian Kirwan, caseworker from @ICPOprisoners, who is on a visit to the region. Damian outlined the important work of ICPO throughout the world 🤝

The annual Link Conference is an opportunity for groups supporting the Irish community in Australia to discuss their work. The ICPO's caseworker Damian Kirwan spoke about our work in providing support and assistance to Irish people in prison in Australia and to their families.

We are devastated to hear the news today of the death of Sunny Jacobs. Sunny was the victim of a miscarriage of justice and sentenced to death in the USA, later being exonerated and released. She will be greatly missed by innocence activists and volunteers across the world.

Congratulations to all the Winners at Listowel Writers Week in particular writers in prison. The ICPO is proud to sponsor the Short Story and Poetry competitions for Irish people in prison overseas.

It is disappointing that few if any Irish people in prison overseas have been transferred back to an Irish prison since the Act came into force. State agencies involved in the processing of transfer applications must be fully resourced to process applications in a timely manner.

It has been long established policy by successive governments that prisoners would be permitted to serve their sentences close to their families where possible. Serving their sentence close to family and friends, benefits not only prisoners, their family and the wider community.

It is now over two years since the Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Act 2023 came into force. This Act transposed EU law on the transfer of sentence into Irish law and amended existing legislation to allow transfers from the UK and other countries.

One of the Pope Francis' final actions before he passed away was to empty his personal bank account and donate the money to the prisoners he called his “brothers and sisters behind bars.”

As part of our supports for families with loved ones in prison abroad, the ICPO holds two Family Information Days annually, in April and October. We also host an online Family Coffee Morning the last Thursday of every month. Contact Ciara at 01 5053156 for further information.

We would also like to thank Citizens Information for their very informative presentation on returning home after a prison sentence at our Family Day and for answering the many questions families had. Delighted also to be joined by colleagues from our London office via Zoom.

A special thank you to all the families who attended our Family Information Day last week especially who shared their experience with everyone. As one father remarked "It is a room where sincere empathy exists and we feel each others pain."