IPRT Statement on Death in Custody Investigation Report Mr. J (Ivan Rosney) Cloverhill Prison 28 September 2020 

13th February 2026

IPRT Statement on Death in Custody Investigation Report Mr. J (Ivan Rosney) Cloverhill Prison 28 September 2020  

Date of publication: 13/02/2026 

The publication today by the Department of Justice of the Office of the Inspector of Prisons’ (OIP) investigation report into the death of Mr Rosney in 2020 is long overdue.   

The investigation report details the events leading up to Mr Rosney’s death and the subsequent examination. While it does not name him (in line with standard procedure) nor include details of the port-mortem investigation, which were not made available and are still awaiting an inquest, the report highlights a number of deeply troubling issues.  

Responding to the publication, Saoirse Brady, Executive Director stated:  

“While IPRT understands that formal procedures will inevitably take time to complete, the delays in this case have been extensive starting with a criminal investigation that took almost four years to complete, another year for the OIP’s report to be completed and submitted to the Minister for Justice and a further 16 months for the report to be published. This means that while grieving their loved one, the family have been left in the dark for five and a half years and it appears that the main impetus for its publication is the RTE Investigates documentary that drew widespread public attention to the case. It should not have required the intervention of a television programme to precipitate its release. 

While the publication of today’s Death in Custody report provides some further detail of what happened to Mr Rosney while in Cloverhill Prison, it does not provide the answers nor the closure that the family deserve and that the principles of transparency and accountability require. The family now must face a further wait for an inquest and the Coroner to determine the cause of death which we hope will shed more light on how and why he died. However, we note that having to engage in another process may further compound the family’s distress, grief and trauma”.  

Mr. Rosney was being held on remand at Cloverhill prison following his arrest outside his house during a mental health episode. He had a history of mental illness and epilepsy and was accommodated on D2 landing designated for prisoners suffering from mental illness. Such units are intended for people who are deemed too vulnerable to be managed safely within the general prison population, and who require additional care, supervision, and clinical oversight.  

This context is critical in understanding the risks involved in any interaction with Mr. Rosney and should have informed all decisions made about his management.  

Ms Brady continued: 

“The report is distressing to read and points to clear systemic failures in both community services and inside the prison walls. The fact that despite the referrals from the Gardaí to have Mr Rosney admitted to mental health services he was “repeatedly turned away” yet ended up in prison, is indicative of the failure of the mental health system to provide essential psychiatric care to people in need.  

IPRT is deeply concerned at the OIP’s findings in this case. There are serious questions raised about a disproportionate response to the situation that unfolded. Why medical or healthcare professionals were not consulted before using control and restraint measures is still not clear, particularly when one officer reported that Mr Rosney “appeared to have mucus and blood coming from his nose and mouth area”. That alone should have warranted medical attention, yet officers continued to place a spit hood on him and continue to restrain him, all “contrary to the guidance given in the C&R manual”.  

While the Death in Custody report points to the CCTV blind spot in the stairwell, and we do not know exactly what took place there, it is a fact that Mr Rosney came out of that stairwell unresponsive and ultimately died. We also do not have sight of the extent of his injuries as the paragraph on the post mortem findings has been redacted “in the public interest”. We would call on the Minister and the Attorney General to elaborate on their reasons for redacting information which could provide essential information to the family and the public. We note the OIP’s “deep reservations about the manner in which Mr. J was restrained” as well as “the extent of the external and internal injuries to his body revealed at Post Mortem”.  

IPRT now calls for urgent reforms to ensure that:  

Ms Brady concluded: 

“IPRT calls on the Irish Prison Service to implement the findings of the OIP without question or delay. We extend our deepest sympathy to Mr Rosney’s family J. No family should be forced to endure the years of uncertainty about the circumstances surrounding a death in custody. While the report provides important findings, the absence of a post-mortem report leaves many questions unanswered. We await the results of the inquest for a full account of the events that led to Mr Rosney’s death. We hope that this report, and the issues it raises, will serve as a catalyst for meaningful reform to prevent such tragedies in the future.” 

ENDS 

NOTES FOR EDITORS:   

1. Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT)  www.iprt.ie   
   IPRT is Ireland's leading non-governmental organisation campaigning for the rights of everyone in prison and the progressive reform of Irish penal policy, with prison as a last resort.   

2. Prison figures: As of Friday February 2026, Irish prisons were operating at 123 percent capacity, with 5,805 in prison custody with 556 people sleeping on mattresses on the floor.   

3. Death in Custody Investigation Report: Mr. J Cloverhill Prison, 28 September 2020, found here.