The Irish prison system is currently undergoing significant reform. Old and dilapidated prison buildings are finally being replaced with new ones at Thornton Hall in Dublin and Kilworth in Cork, and while they have many problematic elements, not least the scale and location of what is proposed, the new prisons will bring improved conditions for those detained there. The revision of the Prison Rules and the establishment of the Prisons Inspectorate on a statutory basis are also welcome developments, insofar as they aim to introduce greater regulation and accountability into this much neglected area of Irish law. Ireland is bound by several international instruments in the area of prisoners’ rights and penal policy, and the ongoing reform in the Irish prison system means that the time is opportune to consider the extent to which these legal obligations are currently met, and to evaluate what needs to be done to ensure greater compliance. The aim of this article is thus to examine Ireland’s record in prisoners’ rights against international standards, and to determine where reform needs to take place in order to ensure full respect for the rights of prisoners in Irish law, policy and practice. It begins with a commentary on the importance of international standards.