Probe after man dies at Central Mental Hospital

AN investigation is to be launched into the death of a man at the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin over the weekend.

Michael McDonagh, believed to have been aged 21, died at the CMH in Dundrum. It is understood his body was found at 6am on Saturday and other residents at the hospital were told he had passed away in his sleep.

Mr McDonagh was a Traveller from the Longford area. His death will now be the subject of an inquest by the Dublin City Coroner.

It is understood he had been in the CMH for the past four years, having been transferred there from St Patrick’s Institute for Young Offenders. He was serving a sentence having been convicted of a sex offence.

It is understood he pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to two charges of rape and oral rape of a 13-year-old at Red Island, Skerries, on February 14, 2004.

It is understood that early indications are that there is no suspicion of foul play in his death and that Mr McDonagh may have died of natural causes. However, any inquest or associated investigation will have to wait for the full results of a post mortem. It is understood State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy carried out a preliminary post mortem over the weekend.

It was unclear last night, however, whether there would be a separate investigation into the death. The Irish Prison Service said it did not comment on individual cases, but it is thought, since the death occurred in the CMH, it does not have lead responsibility for any follow-up inquiry.

Staff and carers at the hospital in Dundrum are still awaiting news as to a possible new site for the facility, with Minister with Responsibility for Mental Health John Moloney understood to be considering two possible sites.

Families of residents and senior staff had voiced opposition to original plans to have the hospital moved to a site in Thornton Hall in north Dublin, but that plan has now been scrapped.

The Government is also under pressure to change the laws so as to allow patients eligible for discharge from the CMH to do so.

In recent years a number of patients have been denied release because the Mental Health Review Board — which reviews the detention of patients referred by the courts under Section 5 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act of 2006 (people found to be unfit to be tried or not guilty by reason of insanity) — does not have powers under Sections 13 and 14 of the act.

Earlier this year the Government began drafting amendments to the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2000 to address the problem.