A male prisoner in his 30s has died of a suspected drugs overdose in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise.
The Irish Independent has reported that the prisoner was was found in his cell on the D landing of the Portlaoise jail at around 11am.
The inmate’s sudden death is now the subject of multiple investigations.
He had been serving a sentence of almost four years for a variety of criminal convictions, the most significant being an assault causing serious harm offence.
A spokesman for the Irish Prison Services said in a statement: “The Irish Prison Service can confirm a death in custody at the Midlands Prison on 20th April 2025.
“As with all deaths in custody, the Irish Prison Service, the Office of the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Siochana investigate where circumstances warrant. The cause of death is determined by the Coroner’s Office.”
The Independent has also reported that there “is nothing at this time to suggest that this tragic death is suspicious.”
It is not known at this stage what drugs caused the inmate’s suspected overdose.
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