Deaths in custody up from 24 to 31, over one year
24th February 2026
IPRT said the increase in deaths in custody from 24 to 31 in one year highlights worsening systemic failures across the prison system. Responding to five investigation reports, the organisation emphasised that many of the deaths were preventable and linked to overcrowding, inadequate mental health and addiction services, and failures in risk management and medical oversight. IPRT pointed to repeated instances where clear warning signs were not acted upon and called for urgent Government action to address these persistent deficiencies and ensure accountability.
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- ‘Preventable' prison deaths highlight serious systemic failures, says Irish Penal Reform Trust - Irish Times
- Reports into deaths in custody ‘highlight serious systemic failures', says Irish Penal Reform Trust - Irish Independent
- IPRT Statement on publication of Five Deaths in Custody Reports
- Psychiatric care and prisons - Why is the State relying on prisons to fill the gaps in a broken system - The Journal.ie
