I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that all deaths in custody are notified to An Garda Síochána, who investigate where circumstances warrant, in addition to the inquest held in the Coroner's Court. The cause of death is determined by a jury on the basis of the information presented to the Coroner’s Court.
Moreover, all deaths in custody are also subject to an independent investigation by the Inspector of Prisons. The investigation by the Inspector of Prisons applies to prisoners who are in the custody of the Irish Prison Service, and includes those instances where the death of the prisoner has occurred outside the prison, or the prisoner in question was recently on temporary release at the time of death.
The Irish Prison Service also has an internal review mechanism which assesses the circumstances of a death in custody, highlights accountability and outlines any actions to be taken in relation to the incident.
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that 100 deaths, classified as deaths in custody, were recorded for the period 2010 to 04 October 2020.
Table1: Deaths in Custody 2010 to 1 October 2020 classified by Cause of Death as determined by Coroner:
Cause of Death
|
Number
|
Inquest Pending
|
35
|
Misadventure
|
18
|
Suicide
|
17
|
Open Verdict
|
6
|
Natural Causes
|
15
|
Narrative Verdict
|
6
|
Deceased took own life
|
2
|
Unlawful Killing
|
1
|
Total
|
100
|
Table 2: Deaths in Custody 2010 to 1 October 2020 classified by Year, Gender, Prison, and Cause of Death as determined by Coroner
Year
|
Gender
|
Prison
|
Cause of Death (as determined by Coroner)
|
2020
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Limerick
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Castlerea
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Castlerea
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Arbour Hill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Arbour Hill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Inquest Pending
|
2019
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Female
|
Dochas Centre
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Arbour Hill
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Limerick
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Portlaoise
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
2018
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Inquest Pending
|
2017
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Limerick
|
Open Verdict
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Open Verdict
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Natural Causes
|
2016
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Narrative
|
|
Male
|
Portlaoise
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
‘Deceased took his own life.’
|
2015
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Narrative
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Castlerea
|
Open Verdict
|
|
Male
|
Portlaoise
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Female
|
Dochas Centre
|
Narrative
|
|
Male
|
Arbour Hill
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Unlawful Killing
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
‘Deceased took his own life.’
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Misadventure
|
2014
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Limerick
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Narrative
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Open
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Suicide
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Castlerea
|
Inquest Pending
|
|
Male
|
Limerick
|
Open Verdict
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Death by Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Death by Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Cork
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Death by Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Inquest Pending
|
2012
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Midlands
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Limerick
|
Open
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Suicide
|
2011
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Shelton Abbey
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Narrative Verdict
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Castlerea
|
Misadventure
|
2010
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
Wheatfield Prison
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Midlands Prison
|
Suicide
|
|
Female
|
Dochas Centre
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy Prison
|
Suicide
|
|
Male
|
Arbour Hill Prison
|
Narrative Verdict
|
|
Male
|
Cloverhill Prison
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Midlands Prison
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Midlands Prison
|
Natural Causes
|
|
Male
|
Mountjoy Prison
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Cork Prison
|
Misadventure
|
|
Male
|
Loughan House
|
Misadventure
|