TWO PRISON OFFICERS have been injured in an incident which took place in the Mountjoy Prison this morning.
The two officers were injured at 8.30am in an unprovoked attack by an inmate using an improvised weapon.
The officers have been taken to hospital with slash wounds, which while serious are not thought to be life threatening.
Investigation launched
The Irish Prison Service has commenced an investigation into the incident and the gardaí have also been notified.
The Director General of the Irish Prison Service has said that his thoughts are with the injured staff and their families.
The Prison Officers Association (POA) issued a statement to say it is deeply concerned about the assault of the officers.
The prisoner had been placed in the Challenging Behaviour Unit, where the assault occurred, on foot of a previous incident involving a member of the medical staff.
Security concerns
Jim Mitchell, Deputy General Secretary said this morning, “our main concern at this time is the impact such an attack will have on the two people involved and of course their families. This attack does again raise the security of prison officers and the resources required to do all that is reasonable to ensure their safety in the workplace.”.
The group hightlighted that it was not the first incident where prison officers had been assaulted.
Mitchell said “it is clear to all of us in the POA that Prison Service Management do not understand the day to day challenges being faced by faced by prison officers on the frontline – and this is of deep concern to us”.
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