INSPECTOR OF Prisons Judge Michael Reilly investigated St Patrick’s Institution from 2009 until mid-2012, a time which saw two governments in power and a large number of officials in key positions of influence over the facility.
The current governor of St Patrick’s is Danny Robbins, although he was only appointed after Judge Reilly completed his report in June.
During Judge Reilly’s period of investigations the governor’s post was filled at different times by Colm Barclay and Hector McLennan.
Dermot Ahern was minister for justice during the first half of Judge Reillys investigation while Minister for Justice Alan Shatter was at the helm more recently.
In 2009 the secretary general at the Department of Justice was Sean Aylward. He was promoted to that post in 2004 from the position of director general of the Irish Prison Service.
He presided over the prison service at a time when the drugs, gangs, bullying, violence and overcrowding problem worsened across the prison system.
Last December he was elected as Ireland’s representative on the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture after being nominated – with two others – by Mr Shatter.
The body examines detention conditions in institutions in member countries.
The appointment was described as “flabbergasting” by Independent Senator Jillian van Turnhout in the Seanad.
Another key figure in the justice and prisons system during the period St Patrick’s was probed is the current Department of Justice secretary general, Brian Purcell.
He took over as director general of the Irish Prison Service from Mr Aylward and last August took over from him as secretary general in Justice.
It means that Mr Purcell was both the head of the Irish Prison Service and has been, and remains, the most senior Justice public servant in the State during the period under review in the report.
The current director general of the Irish Prison Service is Michael Donnellan. He was appointed to the senior prison service post last November, meaning almost eight months of the period reviewed by Judge Reilly fell within his term.
