Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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82. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the fact that five inmates died in custody in 2016; when the inquests are likely to be held; when the numbers who died while on temporary release will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5294/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that all deaths in custody are the subject of a Garda investigation and an 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.

In addition, 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.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that inquests into the deaths of the five persons who died in custody in 2016 are still pending, and the scheduling of those inquests is a matter for the Coroner concerned.

In addition, the Irish Prison Service has confirmed that five persons died while on temporary release in 2016.

The circumstances of each death in custody and incident of self-harm are examined by a suicide prevention group in each institution. The groups are chaired by the Prison Governor, and include representatives from the various services, including the Prison Doctor, Psychiatry, Psychology, Chaplaincy, Probation, Education, and Prison staff. The Groups are required to meet quarterly, or more often if necessary. Their examinations fully cover the background and circumstances of each death. Their objective is to identify, where possible, measures which might be implemented to contribute to a reduction in the risk of deaths in the future. In addition, the National Suicide and Harm Prevention Steering Group chaired by the Director General, Irish Prison Service, provides a forum for collating the reports of the local Suicide Prevention Committees and disseminating significant findings throughout the prison system.

The Irish Prison Service has also advised that a comprehensive training programme in Mental Health Awareness is being delivered to all staff within the prison service to deal with persons in custody who present with mental health difficulties.

All prisoners on committal to prison, receive a comprehensive health assessment which includes a risk assessment for mental health issues. Management interventions to ensure the prisoners safety including recommendations on accommodation within the prison, observation levels to be conducted on the prisoner, increased healthcare inputs, and any other specific measures that may be appropriate are implemented to reduce the risk in individual cases. In such cases, further assessments are undertaken by the in-reach mental health services, and a multi-agency approach to deal with prisoners needs. Where appropriate, prisoners are kept under review by both the local healthcare team and the in-reach mental health specialists, and are reviewed at a weekly multi-agency meeting.