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Inspector criticises management in deaths of 24 prisoners

The deaths occurred between January 2012 and June 2014.

THE INSPECTOR OF Prisons, Judge Michael Reilly, today outlined a series of mistakes and shortcomings by prison management leading up to the deaths of 24 prisoners.

In a report on the fatalities, between 2012 and June 2014, Reilly pointed to a lack of proper management structure, incomplete medical records and inappropriate risk assessment, among other failings.

In the period covered by his investigation, 34 prisoners died – 15 while in custody and 19 while prisoners were on temporary release.

Today’s report relates to 24 of those deaths.

While Kelly stated that prison management acted satisfactorily in most cases, he outlined a long list of worrying shortcomings:

  • Non-existent or deficient line management structure in supervising the checking of prisoners during periods of lock down
  • Prisoners on special observation not checked according to standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  • Inappropriate risk assessment before prisoners were let out on temporary release
  • Incomplete records, including medical records
  • Impossible to tell from medical records whether prisoners had availed of, or were offered psychiatric help
  • One prisoner who died was known to be vulnerable, and “should have been supervised in the community”, but no supervision was put in place before their temporary release
  • Prison governors’ and chiefs’ orders were not complied with
  • CCTV coverage not good enough
  • Availability of drugs, mobile telephones and other contraband in prisons
  • One prisoner who died was known to be homeless and vulnerable, but no assessment was carried out before their release, and there was no link up with an appropriate agency in the community.

Responding to today’s report, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald made the following statement:

I would first like to take this opportunity to offer to the families concerned my sincere condolences on their tragic loss.
The death of any person in State custody must be thoroughly examined and I expect that the Irish Prison Service and indeed all the statutory agencies involved, will work hard to address the findings and recommendations in the Inspector’s reports.

Scroll down to read today’s report in full.

Read: Family asks why media knew about tinfoil found in dead prisoner’s cell before they did>

Over 90% of the beds in Irish prisons are taken>

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Omnibus%20report%20of%20investigations%20into%20the%20deaths%20of%20prisoners.pdf/Files/Omnibus%20report%20of%20investigations%20into%20the%20deaths%20of%20prisoners.pdf

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20 Comments
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    Mute Paul Bracken
    Favourite Paul Bracken
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 6:47 AM

    Apple Green. Keep the extortionate prices down and make some decent filled rolls unlike Topaz and you won’t go far wrong with the public.

    123
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 6:57 AM

    Too late.

    27
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    Mute James Lyons™
    Favourite James Lyons™
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 8:36 AM

    Topaz deli and coffee is awful.
    Most Apple greens are nice and as I driver I appreciate their clean customer toilets the most!
    You can spent €100 on diesel in Topaz to be told “sorry there’s no loo. Have some of our watery coffee”

    77
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    Mute conor hickey
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 6:46 AM

    Support local. Buy local.

    51
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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 8:18 AM

    I refuse to buy any petrol that wasn’t pulled from the ground on these very isles! I’ve been stranded on quite a few occasions and my car hasn’t moved since it ran out of fuel the day I bought it but I’m not changing my ways!

    63
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    Mute Clive Hand
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 7:08 AM

    Hope the sub contractors get paid this time unlike what happened at the Lusk service station when it was built.

    Not Applegreens fault, they paid the principal contractor who in turn shirt changed the sub contractors.

    I should stand to be corrected on that bit that’s what I can recall from memory.

    Applegreen is a great spot. Take kids to one in Castlrbellingham. Inside play area is great. Long haul lorry driver appreciate it, a safe place to pull in for the night grab a shower etc.

    47
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    Mute James Murphy
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 6:18 AM

    All good.

    46
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 7:02 AM

    The thing you have to remember before you spout the “Buy Irish / Support Irish Jobs” nonsense, is that there are far more people living outside Ireland who consider themselves Irish than there are living on this island.

    Therefore when you buy “foreign”, there’s a good chance that you’re supporting somebody who had to emigrate, or the company that game them a job when they had to emigrate, or their descendants. .

    41
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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 7:32 AM

    Neal,
    Correct also what would happen to the economy if trading partners decided to stop buying Irish and to “buy local” think we’d be in a bit of a mess. It’s a 2edged sword

    19
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    Mute joe soap
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 8:22 AM

    well done Neal, this has to be the stupidest thing I have ever read on the journal. regarding those who “had” to emigrate surely creating jobs in Ireland would enable them to come home.

    27
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    Mute Ben Horan
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 6:40 AM

    What about all the family run garages that they will close down, like tesco, lidl and aldi, Irish money making British and German filthy rich companies richer and Irish stores to suffer and close.

    39
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 6:59 AM

    People have voted with their feet and / or their level of disposable income.

    62
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    Mute Ben Horan
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 7:16 AM

    I’m prob worse than anyone when it comes to aldi or apple green ye gotta love a deal, but that’s because they can buy in such big bulk. The smaller business can’t compete with that, I don’t own a store or know anyone who does, I just think it’s wrong because they open so many stores it doesn’t mean the demand for petrol will be greater it means some small business will eventually close and another Irish family will lose jobs.

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    Mute robert purfield
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 8:03 AM

    Ben applegreen dont really use their economy of scale to keep fuel prices down. I generally find they are the same as any other garage around them price wise.

    23
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    Mute John Errity
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 8:55 AM

    They sell bad fuel . Low mileage

    17
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    Mute Hank
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 7:11 AM

    Anything on where the 6 are?

    39
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    Mute Ann Bourke
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 10:42 AM

    Just to point out Applegreen is a 100 percent owned and run Irish company that now also branched to the UK and the US. A company that is very modest about their success.

    23
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    Mute Ahippo
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 9:33 AM

    Where are all the shinners complaining about these jobs? Actually where have the shinner bots gone since the elections. It is like the tap has been turned off. And criticism from Gerry and all of the Government has quietened a lot too. Seems they are preparing for Government by pretending they always supported austerity.

    7
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 10:25 AM

    Because Applegreen don’t sell dodgy Shinner diesel.

    8
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    Mute Flora Crowe
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 10:00 AM

    Apple green come in open up company owned sites which eliminate small family businesses.

    They use their economies of scale to create price wars and eventually the family owned stores die out. E.g Ennis

    These news stories shouldn’t get praise for opening new stores as they will force close others.

    You can’t create extra demand for Fuel

    7
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    Mute Dave Sherman
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 10:43 AM

    There is no service station off the motorway from Dublin to Waterford. (among other long stretches) What they are offering is a product to service motor way traffic not set up in the middle of your town. They are badly needed unless you want children to go to the toilet on the side of the road .

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    Mute The Hooded Biscuit
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    Jul 3rd 2014, 4:47 PM

    More profit in Lucoazade than petrol

    3
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