Prison Officers' Association expresses concern over assaults in local jails

The Prison Officers' Association is expressing serious concern about the level of assaults in two local prisons.

There were 111 in Midlands Prison in Portlaoise last year - a 54 per cent increase on the 72 in 2023.

There were 26 in Castlerea Prison last year, and across these two jails, staff were attacked 25 times by prisoners in 2023.

It comes as several prisons are currently overcrowded - with Castlerea at 114 per cent of bed capacity yesterday.

General secretary of the Prison Officers Association, Karl Dalton, says overcrowding leads to more assaults.

Longford councillor Gerry Warnock says there should be a zero-tolerance approach to these assaults.