Ireland and Ohio Face Scrutiny Over Mental Health Care in Prisons
In recent days, both Ireland and the United States—specifically the state of Ohio—have faced increasing scrutiny regarding the treatment of individuals with severe mental illness within their criminal justice systems. A new documentary in Ireland and a joint investigation in the US have brought to light systemic failures that result in mentally ill individuals being incarcerated due to a lack of appropriate care and available hospital beds.
The catalyst for renewed debate in Ireland was the broadcast of a two-part documentary, “The Psychiatric Care Scandal,” on RTÉ. The program detailed how prisoners with serious mental health conditions are often failed by the State, with devastating consequences for their families. The documentary prompted immediate questions for ministers about whether current priorities need to be reassessed.
The investigation focused on the growing number of people with acute mental illness being held in prison simply because no suitable hospital bed could be found. During a hearing before the Oireachtas Health Committee, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeil and Junior Minister Mary Butler defended the government’s approach, highlighting the availability of in-reach psychiatric services in ten of the country’s twelve prisons, with plans to expand to the remaining two.
Minister Butler also outlined plans to develop an “approved centre” within a prison wing, designed to provide a space for administering antipsychotic treatment when clinically necessary. However, advocates and those working within the sector argue that many individuals should not be in prison in the first place, citing long waiting lists for the Central Mental Hospital (CMH).
Labour Party’s health spokesperson, Marie Sherlock, questioned the extent to which crimes committed were directly linked to underlying mental health conditions. She cited the case of Johnbull Omoragbon, a man arrested after being observed talking to a wall at Dublin Airport. Omoragbon later died in Cloverhill Prison while awaiting a bed at a psychiatric hospital.
Omoragbon’s case, one of hundreds reviewed as part of the RTÉ investigation, highlighted the tragic consequences of a system unable to provide timely and appropriate mental health care. He was deemed too unwell to sign a bail bond, effectively trapping him within the prison system despite his need for hospital treatment. His family, from Spain, granted permission to identify him and speak publicly about their loss.
His wife, Edith, described her husband as a devout Christian who was seeking treatment for a relapse of a pre-existing psychiatric illness when he was detained. She expressed heartbreak that he was denied care when he needed it most.
Both the Office of the Inspector of Prisons and the Council of Europe’s Committee on the Prevention of Torture (CPT) reviewed Omoragbon’s case, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding his death and the use of close supervision cells for individuals with mental health issues. The CPT president, Alan Mitchell, described the situation as a “very obvious red flag,” noting that Omoragbon was not eating or drinking in the 48 hours prior to his death.
An investigation report into Omoragbon’s death was completed in October 2024 but remained unpublished for over five months, prompting calls for transparency from his family. Following the broadcast of the documentary, the report was released, revealing “deep reservations” about the restraint techniques used and the extent of his injuries.
The report also referenced “A Vision for Change,” a 2006 government policy aimed at improving mental health services, including the creation of regional intensive care units and forensic mental health teams. However, the policy was never fully implemented due to a lack of funding and a failure to sell off land from old psychiatric hospitals as planned.
Meanwhile, in Ohio, a similar pattern is emerging, as reported by The Marshall Project and KFF Health News. The share of people with severe mental illness accused of serious crimes and held in state psychiatric hospitals has risen sharply. Tyeesha Ferguson, whose son Quincy Jackson III has cycled through homeless shelters, jails, and hospitals, expressed her fear that he will either kill or be killed, stating that the system makes it “easier to criminalize somebody than to get them help.”
Professor Conor O’Neill, who leads the in-reach psychiatric and court liaison service in Cloverhill Prison, described the overcrowding and the increasing number of actively psychotic patients within the facility. He emphasized that many individuals are being detained for minor offenses simply because there is no alternative placement available.
Minister Butler acknowledged the need for a “layer in between” the Central Mental Hospital and prisons for individuals with lower-level mental health issues, echoing a recommendation made in the original “A Vision for Change” policy two decades ago. The core issue remains the consistent failure to fully implement comprehensive mental health reforms and provide adequate resources for community-based care.
