Three prisoners removed from Mountjoy roof after overnight protest

Prison service says incident was not drug related

Four prisoners gained access to the prison roof late on Monday. Photograph: Eric Luke
Four prisoners gained access to the prison roof late on Monday. Photograph: Eric Luke

Three prisoners who spent Monday night on a roof in Mountjoy Prison have been removed by staff, the Irish Prison Service has confirmed.

Four prisoners gained access to one of the prison’s lower roof areas late on Monday.

One of the prisoners came down following engagement with a prison negotiator but the other three spent the night on the roof.

A prison service spokesman said the three prisoners were “successfully and safely” removed by specially trained staff at about 8am on Christmas Eve.

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It is not yet clear why the three prisoners insisted on spending the night on the roof, however the incident was not drug related, said the spokesman.

Mountjoy’s director general commended all staff involved in resolving the issue.

An investigation into the incident will be carried out by Mountjoy senior management, said the spokesman.

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak is an Irish Times reporter specialising in immigration issues and cohost of the In the News podcast