Chaplains say reports being 'censored and sanitised' by Irish Prison Service

The reason given was to ensure that GDPR was not breached, but the management representative did not specify where breaches may have occurred.

A number of chaplains complained that such issues were being raised nearly 10 months after reports were submitted.

Last year, most chaplains’ reports for 2020 were highly critical of the manner in which some prisoners — particularly those with demonstrable mental health difficulties — were being held.

Chaplains provide pastoral and spiritual care for prisoners and, as such, their reports are the only independent version of what occurs in the State’s 11 prisons.

Email to chaplains

On December 6, the 20 chaplains employed in Irish prisons received emails from IPS pointing out that “many reports contain information about third party individuals that could lead to their identification…we are all required to be mindful of data protection obligations and the right to respect personal information in our work”. The email requested a response within three days.

According to one source, the mail was sent by ‘blind cc’ which might give the impression that the recipient was the only one receiving it, despite it having been sent to all the chaplains.

“It’s obviously a smokescreen,” another source said.

“Ten months after the reports are submitted they say changes may be required and the reports be resubmitted within three days.

Chaplains more than anybody are aware of the need to anonymise people when referring to issues around conditions.

"Reports have always highlighted issues in prisons and done so respectfully and protecting peoples’ privacy.” 

This is the first year that the IPS has raised any issue around GDPR in the reports.

A spokesperson for the IPS said that the “draft chaplains reports” for 2021 were received by the Irish Prison Service earlier this year. “However, there were some issues in a number of the reports that required further clarification. It is hoped to publish the reports before the end of the year.” 

Sources familiar with the system say that the reports are not submitted in draft form.

The Irish Examiner has also learned that chaplains employed after 2015 are working on salaries that are 33% lower than those who were already employed. 

This year, most of the chaplains joined the trade union Fórsa in response to what they say are the hugely reduced conditions under which they are now working.