Group to review prison suicides

The circumstances of suicides by three prisoners in the last month are to be examined by the national steering group on deaths in prison, the Minister for Justice told the Dail.

Mr O'Donoghue said the deaths would be reviewed to determine whether there were any common features, so that whatever additional measures might be required could be implemented, to add to the already comprehensive suicide prevention measures in place.

He stressed, however, that "the possibility of suicides in custody cannot be completely prevented without the total denial of personal privacy to prisoners at all times".

The Minister was responding to a special notice question following the death by suicide yesterday in Mountjoy of a young Limerick man who was serving a three-month sentence.

Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr Jim Higgins, said there had been five prison suicides since the beginning of the year and believed that "the prison medical, psychological and psychiatric services are simply not up to par".

He said the prisoner who hanged himself last week in Wheatfield "had already attempted suicide on two previous occasions and, according to his mother when she appeared on RTE recently, had not been offered any counselling".

Mr O'Donoghue said the Mountjoy prisoner, whose family had asked that personal details not be released, hanged himself in his cell using a bed sheet, as had the prisoner who died in Wheatfield last week.

The Mountjoy prisoner was sharing a double cell and his cellmate raised the alarm. The Minister added there was "no prior indication of the risk of self-harm and he was not under special observation".

Each inmate arriving in the prison was examined by the prison doctor and that happened in this case, Mr O'Donoghue said, and the prisoner was described as "fit and well".

It was not deemed necessary for him to receive psychiatric treatment, and, therefore, he did not receive any.

Labour's equality and law reform spokeswoman, Ms Jan O'Sullivan, said the prisoner lived in her constituency, Limerick East, and "came from a good and caring family". She asked if previous medical records were sought for prisoners to establish whether they might be expected to take their lives or to suffer from psychiatric problems or depression. She also asked if the proposals by the national steering group to redesign cells, particularly in older prisons, had been implemented.

The Minister replied that the steering group found that of 57 recommendations in the 1991 report, 34 were implemented fully, and 15 were partially implemented.

He said a special suicide prevention circular had been issued to all prisons, which emphasised the importance of prevention policy and set out clear procedures to be followed in all institutions , and identified the responsibilities of all staff in this regard.

He added that special training had been provided for prison staff who were medical orderlies. Prisoners identified as at risk were put on a special observation list and checked every 15 to 20 minutes.

Mr Higgins, however, asked how the Minister could "credibly" tell the Dail that prisoners at risk were subject to special measures when the young man found hanged in Wheatfield last week had attempted suicide on two separate occasions and had not been given counselling. He also asked if, in the Mountjoy case, consideration was given to accommodating the man closer to home at Limerick prison.

Mr O'Donoghue said every possible step "is taken by the prison authorities to try to minimise the risk of suicides. It can be fairly said that the vast majority of suicide attempts in prisons are prevented as a result of the measures in place." A report on the future of the psychological services was being reviewed and would be published shortly, Mr O'Donoghue said.