Thread from 21st March 2023
The first man with a Gender Recognition Certificate in an Irish women's prison wasn't Barbie Kardashian:
In fact we've had at least three recently, as well as another man claiming to be a woman who must not have had a Gender Recognition Certificate, and was held in the Midlands Prison. He was released recently. @NoXYinXXprisons
Kardashian had already been held in custody in Limerick women's prison.
An inspection of Limerick women's prison in April 2021 heard there were complaints from the "women" regarding searches. Reference to the Yogyakarta Principles, which are a set of activist demands and not binding on the State were also cited @OIP_Ireland
As highlighted here regularly the women in Limerick prison are the most overcrowded in the State, with numbers as high as 175% last month: with 49 in a prison for 28.
The new women's prison in Limerick due to open shortly will only have 50 places. The new prison appears to have a more open design also Limerick women’s prison: an architecture of hope (architectsjournal.co.uk)
[November 2022 "Prisoners at Limerick Women's Prison have slept on mattresses on floors on 208 occasions since the start of September, with overcrowding rampant at the jail."
Last month Justice Secretary Dominic Raab published new prison rules for men who claim to be women guilty of violent and sexual offences.
"The new guidance will apply regardless of whether transgender prisoners have a Gender Recognition Certificate,"
Earlier this month @SimonHarrisTD was asked*
The Minister's response:
"As previously advised, the Irish Prison Service is currently finalising an updated policy in relation to the management of transgender prisoners. As part of that process the Irish Prison Service is considering all relevant information and learning arising from the experience in other jurisdictions."
Thank you Minister @SimonHarrisTD
*Having a criminal conviction is not a bar to obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC):
Only one GRC has been refused so far:
