A Senator, a Judge & Four Women in Recovery: Breaking Ireland’s Cycle of Addiction and Prison

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What happens when women with lived experience of addiction, prison, and recovery sit down with a former judge and a senator? In this powerful episode, Gerry Scullion brings together Senator Aubrey McCarthy, former Judge Gillian Hussey, and four remarkable women — Ruthann Barry, Bronagh McBrien, Edie Donohoe, and Jenny Harris — who have navigated Ireland’s systems of addiction, justice, and recovery.

In an extraordinary twist, Judge Gillian Hussey once sentenced three of the women at the table to the Dóchas Centre, Ireland’s women’s prison. Now, years later, they sit side by side, reflecting on that journey, the systemic barriers still in place, and the possibilities for real change.

This is a conversation about resilience, compassion, and the power of lived experience to shape a more humane justice system.

https://www.tiglin.ie/
ie.linkedin.com/in/senatoraubreymccarthy

Click here to watch a video of this episode.

Creators & Guests

• Gerry Scullion - Host
• Serdar Mele - Editor

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