The Justice Minister has asked the Irish Prison Service to address the findings of a new report that's critical of the handling of prisoner deaths.
The Inspector of Prisons report looked at the cases of 24 prisoner deaths.
It's highlighted shortfalls in the system of checks on prisoners under observation.
And the report also wants risk assessments undertaken for prisoners due for temporary release.
The inspector also criticised some prison officers for the minimal content of their reports on deaths in custody.
Meanwhile, Gang members and other protected inmates at Mountjoy prison in Dublin are being neglected in an overcrowded and dirty unit.
That's the view of the Inspector of Prisons who's calling for the unit to be closed because he feels it's no longer fit for purpose.
Crime Correspondent Frank Greaney reports:
