A computer available to prisoners in Limerick jail contained information about prison officers and had been accessed by the inmates, the High Court heard yesterday. Three prison officers were given leave to bring legal proceedings against the State regarding the matter.
Mr Michael McMahon SC, for the three officers, said they were applying for damages and an interlocutory injunction to force the State to disclose to the officers all the information held on the computer. Mr Justice Lavan fixed the hearing for Thursday.
Mr McMahon said it emerged last Wednesday that a computer in the prison library had information about prison officers and had been accessed by prisoners. His clients - officers Angus Kirwan, Alan Kavanagh and John A. Ryan - had asked the prison governor to disclose what information was on the computer because the officers feared for their safety.
Mr McMahon said it was clear the governor's reply was not the "totality of the information" and they wrote and asked for all the information. The governor indicated he would have to seek legal advice.
There had been a number of incidents affecting prison officers and, with hindsight, his clients believed there may have been a breach of confidence concerning prison officers' files.
In an affidavit, Officer Kirwan said that in the recent past prisoners had made comments to him about domestic matters and he could not understand where such information had been obtained. He now believed the information was gleaned from his personnel file.
He was concerned that his private affairs, including his address and other family matters, would be known and dispersed by prisoners. He and other prison officers had taken the utmost care about their own personal security.
In the past number of weeks a fellow officer was seriously assaulted and another officer's new dwelling house was subject to an arson attack and destroyed by fire. He said he urgently needed all the information to ensure the safety of his wife, family and himself.
Mr Harry Fehily, solicitor for Mr Kirwan, in an affidavit, said the response of the governor to requests for information was wholly inadequate.