asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners who have died in Garda or prison custody since 1975; and the place and cause of death in each instance.
Written Answers. - Prisoner Deaths.
113.
The number of persons who died in Garda or prison custody since 1975 (up to 18 October 1988) is 50. The place, date and cause of death in each instance is listed hereunder. "Cause of death" is as indicated in the coroner's verdict, in the report on the post mortem examination or in the Register of Deaths, as the case may be.
|
Place of Custody |
Date of Death |
Cause of Death |
|
Portlaoise Prison |
17/03/1975 |
Shock, haemorrhage and inhalation of blood. Fractured skull and lacerations of the brain. Missile injury to the head (immediate). |
|
Bridewell Garda Station, Dublin |
15/04/1975 |
Strangulation by ligature. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
28/04/1975 |
Asphyxia due to strangulation by ligature, self enacted. |
|
St. Patrick's Institution |
15/05/1975 |
Asphyxia due to strangulation by ligature, self enacted. |
|
Thomastown Garda Station |
10/09/1975 |
Strangulation. |
|
Ballina Garda Station |
25/01/1976 |
Alcoholic poisoning. |
|
Limerick Prison |
01/08/1976 |
Shock due to haemorrhage due to laceration of the forearm. |
|
Greystones Garda Station |
01/04/1977 |
Asphyxia due to inhalation of vomit. |
|
Athlone Garda Station |
09/09/1977 |
Cerebral oedema, haemorrhage and laceration of the brain, head injury with fractured skull. |
|
Bridewell Garda Station, Dublin |
04/03/1978 |
Left hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhage (natural causes). |
|
Shanganagh Castle (died at St. Laurence's Hospital) |
06/03/1978 |
Bilateral lobar pneumonia. (natural causes). |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
22/06/1978 |
Myocardial infarction due to coronary thrombosis (natural causes). |
|
Union Quay Garda Station, Cork |
04/08/1978 |
Coma and Cardiorespiratory failure, the result of anoxic brain damage, possibly resulting from combination of drugs and alcohol. |
|
Rathmines Garda Station, Dublin |
08/01/1979 |
Overdose of barbiturates self administered. |
|
Rathmines Garda Station |
02/04/1979 |
Respiratory depression caused by overdose of alcohol and barbiturates self administered. |
|
Monaghan Garda Station |
24/07/1979 |
Cerebral oedema, subdued haematoma, head injury with fractured skull. |
|
Ballymun Garda Station |
22/08/1979 |
Cerebral anoxia due to suspension by the neck, self enacted. |
|
Waterford Garda Station |
19/09/1979 |
Asphyxia due to hanging. |
|
Athlone Garda Station |
31/12/1979 |
Asphyxia due to inhalation of vomit and that deceased was also in advanced state of intoxication. |
|
Limerick Prison |
05/04/1980 |
Acute pulmonary oedema due to inhalation of smoke, carbon monoxide and extensive burns — misadventure. |
|
Drogheda Garda Station |
27/06/1980 |
Bruising and compression of the brain. Subdural and extradural haematoma. Fracture of the skull. |
|
Limerick Prison |
29/04/1981 |
Asphyxia due to suspension by a bed sheet. Suicide. |
|
Arbour Hill Prison (died at Mater Hospital) |
30/09/1981 |
Acute myocardial infarction (natural causes). |
|
Shercock Garda Station |
22/04/1982 |
Cardiac amithmia due to ischaenia due to coronary artery acclusion by thrombosis and that the fatal episode was precipitated by shock due to injury and by stress. |
|
Shannon Garda Station |
27/05/1982 |
Alcoholic intoxication and inhalation of stomach contents. |
|
Bridewell Garda Station, Cork |
31/05/1982 |
Asphyxia due to construction of the neck by a ligature. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
10/09/1982 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted in a cell in Mountjoy Prison. |
|
Greystones Garda Station |
09/11/1982 |
Asphyxia due to inhalation of stomach contents, contributory factor — alcohol intoxication. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
04/02/1983 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted at his cell No. 7 C3 landing. |
|
Ballymun Garda Station |
28/02/1983 |
Shock due to burning and alcohol intoxication due to fire in cell. |
|
Dundalk Garda Station |
12/09/1983 |
A. Cerebral Anoxia.B. Self inflicted neck compression.C. Suspension by a noose. |
|
Harbourt Terrace Garda Station, Dublin |
04/11/1983 |
Asphyxia due to suspension or hanging in a cell. |
|
Waterford Garda Station |
04/03/1984 |
Respiratory depression secondary to ethol alcohol intoxication. |
|
Navan Garda Station |
08/09/1984 |
Coronary. |
|
Mountjoy Prison (died at Mater Hospital) |
05/10/1985 |
Cardio respiratory failure due to dextromoramide toxicity self administered at Mountjoy Prison. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
10/11/1985 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
23/12/1985 |
Hypovalaemic shock in association with laceration of the left brachial vein. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
17/01/1986 |
Asphyxia due to suspension (hanging), self enacted at a cell in Mountjoy Prison. |
|
Granard Garda Station |
26/09/1986 |
A. Asphyxia and cerebal anoxiaB. Hanging. |
|
Bridewell Garda Station, Dublin |
07/10/1986 |
Pulmonary oedema and haemorrhage due to aspiration of stomach contents resulting from alcohol and methadone interaction. |
|
St. Patrick's Institution |
26/07/1987 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted at St. Patrick's Institution. Death regarded by the Coroner as accidental. |
|
Cork Prison |
12/02/1988 |
Cardio respiratory failure due to hanging. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
16/04/1988 |
Inquest not held to date. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
18/04/1988 |
Cerebral anoxia due to suspension, hanging self enacted at his cell in Mountjoy Prison. |
|
Marley Park, Rathfarnham |
31/05/1988 |
Ventricular fibrillation caused by myocardial ischaemia due to coronary artery atheroma. The inquest jury was of the opinion that this was contributed to by the struggle with the Gardaí. |
|
Waterford Garda Station |
03/06/1988 |
In this case an elderly man was found lying in the street. He was taken to the Garda Station where shortly afterwards he was pronounced dead. He died from natural causes. No inquest was held. |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
13/06/1988 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted at Mountjoy Prison. |
|
Mountjoy Prison (Transferred on 3 July, 1988 to the Mater Hospital where he died.) |
07/07/1988 |
Inquest not held to date. |
|
Shankhill Garda Station (Committed to Grangegorman Hospital and then transferred to the Mater Hospital where he died.) |
08/07/1988 |
Inquest not held date. |
|
Arbour Hill Prison |
30/09/1988 |
Inquest not held to date. |
The deaths which occurred on 31 May 1988 and 3 June 1988, as shown above, were not included in the information supplied to the Deputy by letter dated 15 September 1988 in relation to a previous Dáil Question, as it had not been established, at that time, that they came within the scope of that Question.