'No doubt' that overcrowding is a factor in 55% rise of prison deaths, inspector says

As of this Wednesday, prison numbers stand at 5,628, while the maximum possible capacity of the system is 4,702

A cell in Mountjoy Prison in February with a mattress on the floor to accomodate a second prisoner because of overcrowding. The Office of the Inspector of Prisons said contributing factors to the rise in prison deaths 'include overcrowding, mental health pressures, and gaps in the provision of healthcare services'. Photo: Moya Nolan

The prison inspector has expressed grave concern at a 55% increase in deaths in the country’s jails in 2024 — and pointed to the worsening overcrowding crisis and mental health pressures as factors.

In his 2024 annual report, Mark Kelly said that a significant number of prisoners are being held in conditions that could only be described as “inhumane and degrading”.