Written Answers. - Prison Deaths.
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:
42
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Justice
the steps he intends to take to reduce the incidence of prison suicides; the measures he proposes to introduce to reduce overcrowding in the prisons; and his plans, if any, to phase out and replace the Women's Prison in Mountjoy.
Eamon Gilmore
Question:
49
Mr. Gilmore
asked the
Minister for Justice
the investigations which have been held or which are planned to be held into the recent deaths in Mountjoy Prison of two prisoners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Mervyn Taylor
Question:
200
Mr. Taylor
asked the
Minister for Justice
the number of suicides and deaths in suspicious circumstances in prisons in Ireland for each of the last three years for which figures are available; if he will make a statement on the trend indicated; and whether he will initiate steps for a public enquiry into the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 49 and 200 together. Regrettably there was one death in prison in 1987, six in 1988, four in 1989 and two this year. In my reply to Question No. 205 of 24 October 1989 I set out the causes of deaths in prison custody over the previous ten years where these had been determined by inquests. There have been no further relevant inquest findings since the question was answered. The circumstances of the deaths referred to in Question No. 49 have been investigated by the Garda and prison authorities. However, as inquests have yet to be held into these deaths it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment on the matter at this stage.
The House has been informed on a number of occasions of the type of measures being taken to attempt to reduce the incidence of such deaths.
Offenders who are identified as being at risk are given special attention by prison staff and by appropriate medical experts with the specific objective of minimising the risk of self-injury. Unfortunately, however, worldwide experience indicates clearly that there is no fail-safe way by which all potential suicide victims can be identified nor, indeed, does there appear to be any fail-safe, humanitarian way of ensuring that somebody who has been so identified will not eventually find an opportunity of taking his own life.
In mentioning that prison suicides are a worldwide phenomenon, I do not suggest that it is therefore a matter that must be taken for granted or can be treated with complacency — far from it — but it does suggest that the search for effective solutions is far from being a simple matter.
Reports of all deaths in prisons are examined by the relevant authorities to see whether the circumstances suggest any procedure or course of action that might usefully be introduced in an effort to forestall similar tragedies. Each such death is the subject of public inquiry by way of inquest and full regard is had to any riders which may be added by inquest juries, with a view to their implementation if considered appropriate and practicable.
Last November, in response to the concern which deaths in prison understandably give rise to — and which I share — I established an advisory group to examine specifically the issue of deaths in prisons and to make recommendations.
The group, which is chaired by a senior official of my Department, includes a governor and deputy governor, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a chaplain, a senior member of the probation and welfare service and a representative of the Prison Officers' Association. I have no doubt that the group fully appreciate the urgency which attaches to their task but, given the extremely complex and sensitive issues which have to be addressed, it is clearly vital that they have sufficient time to enable them to deal comprehensively with these matters over whatever period proves necessary. While the group is not in a position to give a definite date for completion of their final report, I have asked them to let me have an interim report, which I expect to receive shortly.
Given the measures I have outlined, and having particular regard to the fact that each death is the subject of public inquiry by way of inquest, I am not satisfied that the establishment of a public inquiry into the question of prison deaths generally would serve any useful purpose.
Part of Deputy O'Keeffe's question relates to overcrowding and, since it is within the general context of a question on suicides, I take it as perhaps carrying the implication that there is a casual link between overcrowding and suicide. Concern about accommodation pressures in prisons — whatever the context — is perfectly understandable. There are, however, substantial difficulties, in practice, in sustaining a link between individual deaths and accommodation pressures. While it is the case that the numbers being held at some of our institutions are in excess of what would be considered ideal, every effort has been made to maintain the quality of the regimes through, for example, preserving the level of out of cell time available to individual offenders. But, irrespective of any accommodation pressures that may exist, the fact remains that offenders have committed suicides both in single-cell and in shared accommodation. In certain cases the specific medical advice, in relation to individuals believed to be at risk, is that they should be in shared accommodation; in others, the medical advice is different. What is beyond doubt is that the factors which predispose individuals to take their own lives, whether in prison or in the community — and it must be remembered that it is not simply a prisons issue — vary from case to case and, frequently, can be extremely difficult to detect. The search for solutions, therefore, has to be multi-directional and expertly handled.
With regard to prison accommodation generally, the most significant development in relation to the provision of custodial accommodation in recent years was the bringing into use last year of the new place of detention at Wheatfield which now accommodates about 235 offenders. It is intended that it will be operating at its full capacity of 320 later this year as the required additional staff become available. A new unit geared to cope with offenders with medical problems arising from infectious diseases is being provided at Mountjoy.
One of the existing wings in Limerick prison is to be replaced by a new wing providing an extra 30 spaces. In addition, the refurbishment of the St. Patrick's Institution complex is being undertaken, the aim being to provide accommodation there of a much higher quality than previously existed.
The Women's Prison at Mountjoy which forms part of the St. Patrick's Institution complex will be completely refurbished as part of the works being carried out at the complex. I have already indicated to the House that I am satisfied that this refurbishment represents the most effective way of improving the quality of the accommodation for women prisoners, at least in the relatively short term.
I am aware that there have been calls for the closure of the Women's Prison. This is simply not a practical proposition because there is no other place available at the present time in which the offenders concerned — some of whom are quite serious offenders — could be securely accommodated. The refurbishment of the Women's Prison, now, does not preclude the possibility that other solutions will be brought forward in the longer term and I would like to assure the House that in discharging my responsibility to provide better accommodation for women prisoners — something to which I am firmly committed — I shall be looking at solutions appropriate to the longer term as well as the short term.
