Castlerea prison Governor Anthony Shally says the Covid-19 pandemic has brought some positives to the lives of prisoners in facilities across the state.
The spread of the virus caused huge issues initially in 2020, but in the last number of months, video visits, as well as modern links to courtrooms have made life inside for staff and inmates somewhat easier.
The Roscommon naive admits that while challenges remain; the pandemic has also seen a decrease in drug use and violence in prisons.
In his first broadcast interview, Anthony also says that the opening of the new equine unit at Castlerea is going to be a huge positive for everyone at the facility: