The Garda Inspectorate is to carry out a wide-ranging inspection of how people are treated in garda custody.
The oversight body will examine all aspects of garda station custody but will focus in particular on the treatment of children and vulnerable adults.
The exercise will cover several themes including the protection of detainees’ rights, the provision of healthcare and interpreters, hygiene, and the taking of fingerprints and DNA samples.
The condition of station facilities including cells and interview rooms will also be examined.
The review forms part of the inspectorate’s plan to review seven key areas of garda operations between this year and 2021. It plans to report on the risk of garda corruption, border policing and the force’s handling of domestic violence cases.