Authorities at St Patrick's Institution for young offenders in Dublin have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a protest by five inmates who gained access to a security net above the recreation yard on Sunday afternoon.
The protest ended just before 10am yesterday when the five young men voluntarily came down after spending the night on the net, approximately 3-4 metres above the ground.
A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said that a separate Garda investigation, focusing on whether there was any criminal damage to prison property during the incident, was also expected to be conducted. However, a spokesman for the Garda press office said it was not aware of such an investigation at this stage.
According to the prison service spokesman, the five inmates ended their protest following discussions with the prison governor, Seán Lennon, and other prison staff. They had been calling for a transfer to another prison.
The five, aged between 16 and 21, are thought to have used a "human pyramid" to get on to the net. The net was placed over the recreation yard by staff to stop people throwing objects such as soft drink bottles, which often contain drugs, into the area from the canal at the back
The protesters were being held in isolation yesterday and would be interviewed as part of the investigation, a prison service spokesman confirmed. He added that they would be monitored to determine if they had ingested any illegal substances while on the security net.
The investigation would cover all aspects of the incident, including what could be done to prevent such a situation arising again.
The spokesman was unable to say what sanctions the protesters might face or whether their demand to be moved to another institution would be met. He pointed out that the investigation into the matter was ongoing. However, it is believed to be unlikely that they would be moved. Among the sanctions which might be imposed in such situations are the loss of privileges such as access to telephones and restrictions on recreation time.