Staff at one of the country's largest prisons have voted in favour of industrial action following serious concerns over health and safety issues at the jail. Kathryn Hayes reports.
The motion was passed by an overwhelming majority after 136 Limerick prison officers voted in favour of industrial action, with just 12 voting against.
It is unlikely that any industrial action would take effect for at least two weeks, according to prison sources.
The Prison Officers' Association (POA) confirmed the officers had voted for industrial action and that this will have to be approved by the National Executive Council of the POA before it can go ahead.
"There was an overwhelming response in favour of serving strike notice when the ballot was counted and unless we get some answers to the serious questions we have concerning the health and safety of staff at the jail, then we will strike," said one prison officer.
The concerns of staff at Limerick Prison and the results of the ballot are due to be discussed at this week's annual meeting of the Prison Officers' Association, which is due to start in Ennis on Thursday. Friday's ballot was taken following a number of recent security breaches at the Limerick prison and two separate arson attacks on the property of officers outside the prison.
A garage at the family home of one Limerick prison officer was burnt to the ground while a jeep belonging to another officer was burned outside his home.
In March, two .38 bullets were found lying on the ground outside an inmate's cell in the A wing of the jail.
In February, prison officers passed a motion of no confidence in Limerick prison governor, Mr Pat Laffan, after two nail bombs were thrown over the perimeter wall. Gardaí said the crude devices could have been used to target members of Limerick's feuding gangs who are serving prison sentences at the jail.
Two weeks ago a son of one prison officer was abducted and beaten, but gardaí do not believe that this had anything to do with his father's employment.