The governor of St Patrick's Institution for young offenders in Dublin, Seán Lennon, was last night continuing his attempts to encourage five inmates who climbed high up a security net to end their protest.
The five, aged between 16 and 21, are thought to have used a "human pyramid" to get on to the net at some stage between 2pm and 4pm yesterday. This is the time when inmates are allowed to avail of the recreation yard.
A spokesman for the prison service said Mr Lennon's main priority would be to ensure the safety of the five individuals involved. As a precaution gardaí blocked off the roadway outside the section where the protest was taking place.
The net was placed over the yard to stop people throwing objects such as coke bottles, which frequently contain drugs, into the area from the nearby canal at the back of the institution.This has been a problem in recent years, according to the spokesman.
He said the five were calling for a transfer to another prison. However, it was unclear what, if any, other demands they were making. The spokesman maintained there was no risk that the men would use the net, which is approximately 3.1-3.7 metres (10-12ft) off the ground, to gain access to the roof of the building as a means of escape.
St Patrick's Institution, located on the North Circular Road, is a closed medium-security detention facility with a bed capacity of 217. Its population consists of male offenders aged 16 to 21 years of age, on remand or sentenced.