The Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO) announce our forthcoming conference marking our 30th year in operation. The conference will take place from 9:45am on Tuesday, 1st December at Dublin Castle. The theme of our conference will be ‘Reaching Out – Supporting Irish Prisoners Overseas and their Families’ and will explore some of the policy, practical and pastoral issues pertaining to this uniquely vulnerable category of Irish emigrants.

We are honoured that the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins has agreed to address the conference. The full list of speakers is contained in the Conference Programme. Please note that the ICPO is launching a piece of commissioned research on the resettlement needs of Irish people returning from prison overseas. Other speakers include Pauline Crowe, OBE, Chief Executive of Prisoners Abroad. Mr. Charles Flanagan T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, will close proceedings that afternoon.

Established in 1985 by the Irish Episcopal Council for Emigrants (IECE), the ICPO works to promote social justice and human dignity for Irish people in prison overseas and their families. ICPO provides information support and advocacy to Irish prisoners wherever they are; it makes no distinction in terms of religious faith, the nature of the prison conviction or of a prisoner’s status. Casework, family support, prison visits, resettlement referrals and advocacy on policy issues comprise core components of our work.