Over one third of the states attending a UN human rights hearing have urged the Government to address prison overcrowding and the lack of in-cell sanitation.

The Minister for Justice Alan Shatter told the hearing in Geneva that the recommendations will help him in his bid for funding to install more toilets in cells.

The conditions of over a quarter of Ireland's inmates were raised by 17 states at this morning's session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Minister Shatter told the hearing that the proportion of the expanding prison population that slops out has fallen in recent years.

Delegations also recommended that the Government guarantees prisoners an independent complaints and monitoring system.

Minister Shatter rejected criticism that violence in Ireland's overcrowded prisons was a significant issue, saying it was in line with other countries' experiences.

He also told the hearing that ministers are considering recognising Travellers as a minority ethnic group.

The Pavee Point organisation praised the announcement as the most solid indication so far that the Government's approach to Travellers may be changing.

The group said such a move would help Travellers to reach full equality in Ireland with their identity intact.

The Justice Minister also reassured delegates that the Government is working on the Mental Capacity Bill to allow ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Bill would reform the laws for those who, due to illness, accident or intellectual disability, may have limited or reduced capacity to understand and articulate their needs and wishes in a legal context.



Meanwhile, the Children's Rights Alliance has criticised the Government for failing to adequately address the detention of children in Dublin's St Patrick's Institution calling it "a blight on our human rights record".

During the three-hour session, Mr Shatter faced questions such as Britain's and Finland's query on what progress is being made to create effective bodies to monitor conditions in place of detention.

The Dutch delegation asked what steps the Government has taken to ensure that austerity measures do not disproportionally impact on our most vulnerable and excluded people.

Six European Union member states queried whether the Government will legislate to clarify the circumstances in which abortion may be lawful.

Norway sought to find out if Ireland is prepared to guarantee the right of workers to collective bargaining through their trade unions.

The Irish Human Rights Commission, which has helped prepare material for the exchanges, said it is unacceptable the Republic has failed to ratify the human rights treaties in question.