I wish to advise the Deputy that prior to 2012 the Irish Prison Service did not centrally record assault figures. The Irish Prison Service commenced centrally recording the data relating to prisoner on staff assaults and prisoner on prisoner assaults in 2012.
The data requested by the Deputy in relation to prisoner on staff assaults for the period 2012 to 2020 is provided in Table 1, the data in relation to prisoner on prisoner assaults for the period 2012 to 2020 is provided in Table 2.
Any act of violence against a person is unacceptable be they a prisoner, prison officer or other staff member. Necessary supports are available to those who are the victims of such assaults.
Any criminal act carried out within our prisons, including an assault on a staff member, is reported to An Gardaí Síochána for investigation and prosecution.
Table 1. Prisoner on Staff assaults
Prison/Place of Detention
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
Arbour Hill
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Castlerea
|
7
|
5
|
9
|
11
|
1
|
13
|
12
|
12
|
4
|
Cloverhill
|
9
|
12
|
20
|
8
|
21
|
8
|
11
|
19
|
4
|
Cork
|
7
|
8
|
13
|
7
|
3
|
9
|
15
|
12
|
4
|
Dóchas Centre
|
3
|
7
|
8
|
5
|
26
|
14
|
8
|
23
|
12
|
Limerick
|
10
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
14
|
8
|
Loughan House
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Midlands
|
10
|
7
|
13
|
17
|
7
|
15
|
13
|
10
|
13
|
Mountjoy (Male)
|
19
|
34
|
30
|
22
|
12
|
18
|
24
|
20
|
17
|
St.Patrick's Inst.
|
36
|
49
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Portlaoise
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
6
|
5
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
Shelton Abbey
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Training Unit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Wheatfield
|
6
|
10
|
26
|
10
|
12
|
10
|
5
|
10
|
5
|
Prison Service Escort Corps
|
0
|
7
|
6
|
3
|
5
|
6
|
9
|
3
|
2
|
Operational Support Group
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
107
|
147
|
151
|
91
|
98
|
104
|
110
|
123
|
70
|
Table 2. Prisoner on Prisoner assaults
Prison/Place of Detention
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
Arbour Hill
|
4
|
7
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
Castlerea
|
73
|
103
|
119
|
117
|
139
|
79
|
76
|
85
|
44
|
Cloverhill
|
97
|
76
|
90
|
88
|
82
|
42
|
54
|
86
|
26
|
Cork
|
43
|
30
|
51
|
27
|
33
|
44
|
42
|
61
|
64
|
Dóchas Centre
|
25
|
21
|
16
|
47
|
30
|
33
|
28
|
39
|
0
|
Limerick
|
45
|
31
|
37
|
24
|
5
|
18
|
28
|
32
|
17
|
Loughan House
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
Midlands
|
68
|
88
|
77
|
47
|
50
|
45
|
44
|
23
|
29
|
Mountjoy (Male)
|
92
|
107
|
96
|
176
|
156
|
113
|
110
|
103
|
26
|
St.Patrick's Inst.
|
156
|
57
|
9
|
2
|
0
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Portlaoise
|
12
|
5
|
11
|
2
|
15
|
14
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
Shelton Abbey
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
Training Unit
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Wheatfield
|
98
|
77
|
74
|
47
|
55
|
24
|
20
|
10
|
28
|
Prison Service Escort Corps
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
7
|
3
|
12
|
9
|
1
|
Total
|
715
|
604
|
589
|
587
|
572
|
417
|
418
|
452
|
250
|