Established in 2016 in partnership with the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention and the National Suicide Research Foundation, the SADA project supports the implementation of Connecting for Life, Ireland’s national suicide reduction strategy. The project also underpins the strategic objectives of the Irish Prison Service, including the creation of safer prison environments, strengthened mental‑health supports, and enhanced inter‑agency collaboration.

2024 Reporting Period (Single‑Year Period)

• 203 episodes of self-harm involving 142 individuals were recorded.
• Average daily population: 4,941.
• Annual self-harm rate: 4.1 per 100 prisoners.
• Males accounted for most individuals (85.9%); however, when adjusted for population size, the rate of self-harm among female prisoners was substantially higher (12.7 per 100 females vs 2.9 per 100 males).
• Highest rates among sentenced prisoners 18–29 year olds (both males and females).