Tom worked in the Irish Prison Service as an assistant chief officer based in A block in Portlaoise Prison. This block houses some of the most notorious and dangerous prisoners in the country. Prisoners include Kinahans, Dundons and many more criminals who are household names. This is a high-pressure environment in which violence and threat to life are real and constant concerns for prison officers. It is alleged that in October 2018 a prisoner came to the governor parade of Portlaoise Prison and told the governor that three officers were constantly coming into his cell. He said that he felt these officers wanted him to do damage to Tom, the assistant chief officer. A high-level meeting between the governors was held afterwards regarding what the prisoner had said. However, it is alleged that no action was taken. Tom, who was a target according to the prisoner's words, alleges that he was advised to carry on working and that he must wait until a written complaint was made before action was undertaken.

Tom worked in this extremely pressurised environment for another 16 months until finally a prisoner came forward to make a category A complaint. This is the highest category of complaint a person can make within the Prison Service. That complaint was investigated by an external investigator named John Naughton. A number of prison officers and prisoners, including Freddie Thompson, a convicted murderer, were interviewed. Other prisoners confirmed what Thompson had alleged and said that many prisoners cannot handle these situations and will turn to violence. A governor also gave evidence. He told the investigator that some of the initiatives he had introduced were subversively resisted by some of the prison officers. The three senior officers who were the targets of these remarks also gave evidence. One stated that, on his arrival to the block, one of the basic grade officers told him that the officers did not like him, did not send for him and did not want him, that he would not be staying there and that they would run him off A block. Shockingly, Mr. Naughton's independent report into the situation found that it was undeniable that some officers were making comments to deliberately undermine the work of senior officers and that there were grounds for the initial complaint. We know this information because Mick Clifford of the-----

I am listening carefully to what the Deputy is saying. He is treading very closely to identifying people and there is a Standing Order on that. We will stop the clock for a minute as I am not going to use up the Deputy's time. The Deputy cannot identify people. I have been listening carefully and I am just putting the Deputy on notice in that regard.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I have made a special effort not to mention the names of individuals. I am quoting from a report carried out by an independent investigator, John Naughton, into these matters. The reason we know this information is that Mick Clifford of the Irish Examiner has done extensive work on this story. He has reported these elements of the story in the Irish Examiner. Following that report, it is alleged that the staff members in question were not sanctioned, that they continued to work within the prison and that the only action taken was to require these officers to attend a workshop.

This is not good enough. Does the Tánaiste not agree that there needs to be a full investigation into what happened here?

I am sorry to hear about Tom's experiences and the issues the Deputy raised. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle alluded to, however, these are specific allegations and they involve unnamed individuals who could perhaps be identified as a result of the comments the Deputy has made. I am not familiar with and I have not read the report the Deputy referred to so I am not in a position to offer further comment. I will let the Minister for Justice know that the Deputy raised the issue and perhaps she can engage or correspond with him directly.

These are serious allegations and I have thought long and hard about raising them on the floor of the Dáil. The reason I have done so is because I have called the director general of the Irish Prison Service a number of times to see if I can discuss them with her. I have also put a question to the Minister for Justice on why actions were not taken on foot of the Naughton report. The Minister has not given me any information as to why actions were not taken. I followed up on the matter as best I could via all the avenues that one would expect a Deputy who seeks to have justice done for individuals in the pay of the State to do but so far I have found that doors have been closed to me. That is why I have no option but to raise the matter here with the Tánaiste.

These are allegations that people in the pay of the State have undermined other people in the pay of the State to a level whereby this has cost them dearly and they are no longer working. I also know of a protected disclosure that has been made by another prison officer from the same prison and of other individuals at that prison who are out of work as a result of this situation. There is a systemic problem here and the only way to resolve it is for the Tánaiste to take the bull by the horns, work with the Minister for Justice and ensure that there is an investigation into this matter.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this matter. These are serious allegations. Any allegations that are made have to be investigated. People against whom allegations are made have the fundamental right to answer those allegations and to be considered innocent until proven guilty. That is why I would rather stray into this space, not knowing the specifics and not having heard from any of the people involved. I appreciate that the Deputy has tried to raise this matter through other means and has chosen to raise it in the Chamber. I will see the Minister for Justice later today and let her know that the Deputy is concerned about this matter and would like a more detailed response if that is possible.