The 10th Irish Criminal Justice Agencies (ICJA) Conference on the theme of 'Navigating Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System' was held on Friday, 4th October 2024 in Dublin Castle.
See Programme information below.
This annual one day conference is a collaboration of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Department of Justice, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Irish Prison Service, An Garda Síochána, The Probation Service, Policing Authority, Courts Service, Garda Síochána Inspectorate, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Parole Board, Maynooth University, University College Dublin, Limerick University, non-agency Criminal Justice System Actors and the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development (ACJRD).
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was lead partner on the 2024 Conference.
About the Conference
This event addressed the current state of mental health care within the criminal justice system in order to promote open, constructive discussion on addressing existing challenges.
Despite the significant challenges to Mental Health Care in the Criminal Justice system, including under-resourcing and gaps in care, there are opportunities for improvement, particularly in community mental health services and diversion schemes. Individuals with mental health difficulties can often find themselves within the courts or prison system rather than receiving appropriate support. Research has found strong links between mental health issues, substance use, and youth offending, highlighting the critical need for accessible community services and effective diversion programs especially when these individuals come into contact with the criminal justice system.
Enhancing mental health care within the criminal justice system is imperative. This conference provided a platform for collaboration, the exchange of insights, and the development of actionable solutions to advance mental health care in the criminal justice system.
Programme: The 10th Irish Criminal Justice Agencies (ICJA) Conference
- A PDF of the Conference Programme can be downloaded here
A conference report is currently being collated and will be available soon.
Speakers: The conference was launched by Oonagh McPhillips, Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, and opened by Catherine Pierse, Director of Public Prosecutions.
Confirmed plenary speakers included: Judge Mary Ellen Ring, The High Court of Ireland; Fíona Ní Chinnéide, Deputy Director of the Probation Service; Dr Clare Kambamettu, Psychology Service, Irish Prison Service; Nuala Ward, The Ombudsman for Children's Office; Ciairín de Buis, The Parole Board; and Prof Ciaran O’Boyle, Centre for Positive Psychology and Health, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Delegates also participated in parallel Thematic Sessions covering the following topics: The Impact of Mental Health within the Criminal Justice System; Supports for People with Mental Health Challenges Who Commit Offences; and Challenges for Practitioners.
Confirmed thematic session speakers included: Dr Conor O’Neill, National Forensic Mental Health Service Prison Inreach & Court Liaison Service; Tony McGillicuddy, SC; Denise Dunne, ADAPT Domestic Abuse Services; Maura Howe, The Courts Service; Conor Boksberger, Jigsaw; Melissa Di Pede and Michael Abbott, Irish Red Cross; Dr. Oghenovo Oghuvbu, Garda Chief Medical Officer; Danica Kinane, ME Hanahoe Solicitors; and Dr Colette Barry, UCD Sutherland School of Law.
Event details
Date: Friday, 4th October 2024
Time: 9.30-5pm (registration 8.30-9.15am)
Location: The Printworks Event and Exhibition Centre, Lower Yard, Dublin Castle, D02 V8R2 (To view a map of Dublin Castle, please click here, the venue is number 11 on the map.).
- CPD Points: Attendance at the event may qualify for CPD points. Qualification is determined by the points’ issuer. ACJRD is happy to provide certificates of attendance on request. For GDPR purposes, attendance lists will be deleted after 12 months and it will no longer be possible to provide certificates of attendance after that. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you require a certificate of attendance.
- Photographs are taken at ACJRD events, please let a member of This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you do not want your photo to be used.
The Chatham House Rule:
To encourage openness and the sharing of information, ACJRD invokes the Chatham House Rule at all events.
*The Chatham House Rule reads as follows: "When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed".
See: https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/chatham-house-rule
About the ICJA Annual Conferences
ACJRD organises the ICJA Conference in October each year. Details and reports from past Conferences can be found here on the ACJRD website.