DVSG 2025 in Dublin: Cura Personalis at the Heart of Detention Visiting

From 24 to 27 November 2025, detention visitors and staff from across the JRS Europe network and partners gathered in Dublin for the 19th Detention Visitors Support Group (DVSG) training. Organised jointly by JRS Europe and JRS Ireland, this year’s encounter centred on Cura Personalis: Caring for the Detainee and the Visitor—a theme inviting deeper attention to the human, relational and spiritual dimensions of visiting people in immigration detention.

A reflective beginning

The meeting opened on Monday afternoon with words of welcome from JRS Ireland staff, followed by an introduction to the year’s theme by Tony O’Riordan SJ. Participants were invited into a reflective walk through the Manresa grounds, creating space for silence, grounding, and shared initial insights.

Sharing experiences across Europe

Tuesday brought a renewed sense of community. During the exchange, participants described common pressures across detention contexts. In the UK, age-dispute cases make supporting minors more complicated;  in Luxembourg, teams keep on with efforts to increase influence and cases of people being released without follow-up support creates further frustration. Belgium reported medical and mental-health gaps, while Croatia currently has no access to detention centres, despite continued advocacy towards that direction. This contributes to shared fatigue and moral dilemmas for visitors, but also reinforced key lessons: act when support opportunities arise, stay well-organised, set realistic expectations, and advocate for stronger post-detention policies.

The group then explored the Irish context, where immigration detainees are held in prisons and Garda stations: this echoed many of these challenges, with overcrowded prisons, rising addiction issues, language barriers for asylum seekers, and a strong security focus that shapes public perceptions. Together, these insights highlighted the continuous need for steady presence and compassion in increasingly difficult environments.

The day concluded with an overview of current EU developments with Mariza Koronioti, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at JRS Europe, focusing in particular on the proposed Return Regulation and the significant risks it carries—especially the expansion of detention, reduced safeguards, and a more punitive approach overall. The discussion also highlighted how public and political perceptions of migration increasingly frame detention as a tool of control and deterrence, reinforcing narratives that undermine dignity and fuel restrictive policies.

Learning, visiting, and communicating

Wednesday’s programme deepened the policy and practical discussions. A representative from Irish Penal Reform Trust outlined its work with JRS Ireland on alternatives to detention, noting key challenges within the Irish system: criminal lawyers being assigned to asylum seekers without adequate immigration-law expertise, severe prison overcrowding leading to escalating mental-health concerns, and conditions that can amount to inhuman treatment. Proposed pathways forward included using prison strictly as a last resort, reassessing prison capacity, strengthening community-based alternatives and post-detention support, and increasing investment in drug-treatment services and probation programmes. Later, a session led by Vincenzo Chiaiese, Communication Coordinator at JRS Europe, explored how cura personalis must also shape the way we communicate about detention. The presentation introduced five key pillars for communicating on sensitive topics and invited participants to analyse how even small changes in wording can influence public perception or unintentionally create harm. Through practical activities and collective brainstorming, the group examined examples of problematic language and worked together to reformulate them in a way that protects people’s dignity. The session concluded with an emphasis on choosing words with precision and care, ensuring that communication remains ethical, protective, and aligned with JRS values.

Colleagues from JRS UK then shared insights from their work, highlighting the realities of detention in the UK, the growing vulnerabilities among people held in detention, and the need for stronger safeguards and more humane alternatives. Their contribution helped participants compare trends across countries and recognise both common challenges and distinct national dynamics. In the afternoon, participants visited the National Reception Centre at Balseskin. The visit offered a closer look at initial reception conditions in Ireland: a tour of the facilities, an introduction to the JRS Ireland Fáilte Project, and a session on responding to vulnerability with the HSE Health Centre team.

Final reflections and a powerful documentary

The closing morning on Thursday opened with the screening of 142 Years, a documentary narrating experiences of migration, displacement, and resilience. The film prompted rich group reflections on accompaniment, humanitarian responsibility, and the emotional weight that visitors often carry.

The gathering ended with a collective evaluation, expressing gratitude for the space to reconnect, learn from one another, and reaffirm the commitment to accompany people in detention with presence, dignity, and compassion.