‘Cork Prison report must be published’ after a doubling of deaths at the facility

A Cork TD has called on the Department of Justice to publish an inspection report it received more than seven months ago into Cork Prison, amid record overcrowding and a doubling of deaths year-on-year at the facility.

In response to a parliamentary question by Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman on unpublished reports by the Inspector of Prisons, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan explained that the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) carries out regular independent inspections of prisons.

He said the Government is “awaiting legal advice” before it can publish five reports, received by the department as early as February 2022.

A further four reports following general inspections into Cork, Cloverhill, Mountjoy, and the Dóchas Centre were all received by the department in March 2025.

Their current status was listed by Mr O’Callaghan as “noted by Cabinet with publication to follow shortly”.

It comes as the OIP’s 2024 annual report showed that there were five deaths linked to Cork Prison last year; two while in custody, one in hospital, and two within one month of temporary release. This is more than double the previous year, when there was no deaths in custody, one in hospital, and one within a month of temporary release. The report mentioned problems accessing a GP and lack of staff morale in Cork Prison, but it is expected these will be discussed in greater detail in the dedicated report.

The prison has been operating over capacity every day since 2023, is frequently the most overcrowded prison in Ireland, and hit a record of 403 people incarcerated in the 296-bed facility in August.

Cork North Central Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould told The Echo: “There are serious concerns about the safety of people working and living in Cork Prison. There has been a deeply concerning increase in the number of prison deaths, and this is indicative of chaos caused by overcrowding. Instead of owning up to this and leading through accountability and transparency, the Government is once again burying its head in the sand.

“Whenever anyone raises concerns about Cork Prison, they are told that a new second prison will be built in the Glen. This is not the solution. It is the wrong location, and the vast majority of prisoners currently in Cork Prison will be released long before this prison is built. We need real solutions now to the crisis in Cork’s prison service.

“We need this report published now. The only way to have a mature and constructive conversation is through transparency and accountability.”