Reports on the deaths of five men in custody in the State’s prisons “highlight serious systemic failures”, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has said.
The Deaths in Custody investigation reports were published this week by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
The deaths, two of which were suicides, occurred in Irish prisons in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Saoirse Brady, IPRT executive director, said the findings “lay bare cracks in the system that continue to widen, with devastating consequences”.
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“In too many cases, risks were known but not acted upon in a timely way and ultimately resulted in tragedy,” she said. “From IPRT’s perspective, many of these deaths could have been preventable.”
One of the reports related to a man identified as Mr M, who died by suicide in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, in 2023.
The report “highlights a profound failure to respond to acute mental health deterioration”, the IPRT said in a statement.
“His family and prison staff had identified significant changes in his mental state, including paranoia and distress. His brother contacted the prison to express concern, and Mr M had refused temporary release because he wished to access addiction treatment.”
The IPRT said: “Despite these warning signs, long waiting lists for mental health supports and a failure to escalate concerns as a matter of urgency meant that no effective or timely action was taken as his mental health deteriorated.”
Another report related to the death of a man identified as Mr Q, who died as a result of a drug overdose in Mountjoy in 2024.
The IPRT said this report “points to systemic failure in the management of drug-related risk in custody”.
“While it is unrealistic to expect prison staff to intercept all illicit drug use, where drug use and associated risk are clearly identified, protective measures must be put in place,” it said.
“In the week prior to Mr Q’s death there were four overdoses in the prison, including one the day before his death.
“Although officers acknowledged that Mr Q was ‘under the influence’, this did not trigger heightened monitoring, escalation or additional safeguards.”
Brady said the Chief Inspector of Prisons “has been clear that the sharp increase in deaths in custody in 2024 – rising from 24 the previous year to 31 – is linked to unprecedented levels of prison overcrowding”.
“Combined with chronic gaps in mental health and addiction services, this creates a pressurised system which is failing people when they are in state care and at their most vulnerable.”
She said these reports, as well as a report published last week into the death of Ivan Rosney in Cloverhill Prison in 2020, show “there are clearly people in our prisons who should not be there”.
Rosney, who suffered from schizophrenia and was in prison after breaching a barring order, died while being restrained by a team of prison officers.
The 36-year-old had a spit hood placed over his head despite visible mucus and blood coming from his mouth and nose.
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