IN CJ Podcast 013 – Conor Kelly and Ciara Harris Discuss Probation in Ireland During Lockdown
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In this episode of the IN-CJ podcast, John Scott talks with Conor Kelly and Ciara Harris about the challenges of working in the Probation in Ireland during lockdown.
In this episode of the IN-CJ COVID Practitioner Challenge series, John Scott speaks with Ciara Harris and Conor Kelly, probation officers in Ireland, about their experiences of working through the COVID-19 lockdowns. Their reflections reveal how the pandemic reshaped probation practice, from court liaison and drug treatment programmes to work with young people.
Ciara, based in Dublin, described her dual role on the court liaison team and at the Drug Treatment Court. She explained how restrictions disrupted face-to-face assessments and court hearings, leaving cases delayed and clients without regular structure. The closure of the Drug Treatment Court meant that people struggling with addiction lost access to treatment programmes and routine drug testing, leaving many vulnerable to relapse.
Conor, working with the Young Persons’ Probation (YPP) service, highlighted the difficulties of building relationships with young people through phone or video contact. Trust and rapport, essential to youth justice work, were harder to establish remotely. Some young people disengaged, while others faced heightened risks in crowded homes, with limited services available for support.
Both officers reflected on the adaptations made by probation during lockdown. Technology played a larger role, with phone calls, video meetings, and online training becoming routine. Community partners and probation projects also adapted, with many moving services online. In some cases, socially distanced outdoor meetings provided a vital alternative to maintain contact.
The challenges were significant: staff isolation, blurred boundaries while working from home, and the strain of supporting clients through addiction, mental health issues, or domestic violence. Yet the experience also highlighted positives. Flexibility, creativity, and digital tools offered new possibilities, while the crisis reinforced the irreplaceable value of face-to-face contact.
Ciara and Conor concluded that probation in Ireland will not return to “business as usual.” Instead, it is likely to embrace a blended model, combining remote tools with in-person supervision, informed by the resilience and empathy developed during the pandemic.
