asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement concerning such procedures he has in mind to improve conditions in Irish prisons, particularly in the light of the number of those who have died in prisons in recent years.
Written Answers. - Prison Conditions.
102.
I refer the Deputy to my replies on 23 June 1988 to Question Nos. 10, 19, 22, 23 and Priority Question No. 31 which related to deaths in prisons.
The Deputy will appreciate that the factors which lead to an individual death in custody are complex and that there would be obvious difficulties in adducing evidence which would sustain a definite connection being made between prison conditions generally and the deaths which have taken place.
I can assure the Deputy, however, that every effort is made to maintain — and, where possible improve — prison conditions in the light of the demands on the prison service and the level of available resources. In this context I should mention that financial allocations to the prison service have been — and are being — kept at a high level.