Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 1 May 1991

Vol. 407 No. 7

Written Answers. - Deaths in Garda or Prison Custody.

Patrick McCartan

Ceist:

78 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Justice the number of people who have died in Garda or prison custody in the past three years; and the place and cause of death in each case.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

The number of persons who died in Garda or prison custody in the three year period 1 May 1988 to 30 April 1991 is 18. The place, date, and cause of death in each case is listed in the following table. The cause of death is as indicated in the coroner's verdict, in the report on the postmortem or in the register of deaths, as the case may be. A further death occured in Carlow Garda station early this morning. It is of course too soon to give any definitive indication of the cause of death in that case.

Place of Custody	Date of Death	Cause of Death
Marley Park Rathfarnham.	31/5/1988	Ventricular Fibrillation caused by myocardial ischaemia due to coronary atheroma. The inquest jury was of the opinion that this was contributed to by the struggle with a garda.
Waterford Garda Station	3/6/1988	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	13/6/1988	Asphyxia due to hanging self-enacted
Mountjoy Prison (Transferred on 3 July 1988 to the Mater Hospital where he died).	7/7/1988	Bronchopneumonia following aspirations of vomitus.
Shankill Garda Station (Com- mitted to Grangegorman Hospital and then transferred to the Mater Hospital where he died).	8/7/1988	Sub-dural haemorrhage.
Arbour Hill Prison	30/9/1988	Suspension, hanging (low-level)fs self-enacted.
Waterford Garda Station	31/1/1989	Cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to asphyxia caused by aspiration of stomach contents.
Mountjoy Prison	15/4/1989	Cerebral anoxia due to hanging self-enacted in cell.
Longford Garda Station	25/4/1989	Death was due to asphyxia and cerebral anoxia due to self-enacted hanging.
Henry St. Garda Station Limerick	4/10/1989	Inhalation of vomit, acute alcoholic intoxication contributory factor coronary atheroma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Arbour Hill Prison	4/10/1989	Asphyxia as a result of self-enacted hanging.
Mountjoy Prison	13/11/1989	Inquest not held to date.
Mountjoy Prison	26/12/1989	Asphyxia due to self-enacted hanging.
Mountjoy Prison	6/3/1990	Inquest not held to date.
Mountjoy Prison	4/4/1990	Asphyxia due to self-enacted hanging.
Training Unit	4/9/1990	Natural causes.
Mater Hospital having been admit- ted from St. Patrick's Institution.	26/11/1990	Inquest not held to date.
Mater Hospital having been admit- ted from Mountjoy Prison	26/12/1990	Inquest not held to date.