The risk of industrial action at Cloverhill Prison could increase tomorrow when the executive of the Prison Officers' Association (POA) holds an emergency meeting to discuss safety and security at the west Dublin jail.
Eugene Dennehy, deputy general secretary of the POA said the executive will consider the results of a ballot after officers voted almost 98% in favour of industrial action.
If the executive endorses the strike as expected the mandatory notice period could be served as early as tomorrow. The executive meeting will also discuss what form, if any, of industrial action will proceed.
Officers had put forward what Mr Dennehy said was "a cost free solution" but management rejected their proposals.
Mr Dennehy said that officers wanted a change to staffing procedures when moving prisoners around a prison.
However, even at this late stage Mr Dennehy called on management to properly address the concerns of the officers.
Mr Dennehy said: "There are serious safety issues for our staff at Cloverhill Prison, which are not being seriously addressed by local management.
He also said that serious threats had been issued to the officers by a number of prisoners.
"The Prison Officers' Association is bitterly disappointed that local management in Cloverhill has not taken the necessary steps to resolve this safety issue and in so doing, remove the need for industrial action."
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan has conceded there are "serious" security prisons after a series of incidents in recent months.
A raid on a number of prisons in the State recovered drugs, weapons and mobile phones in cells after a furore over an inmate at Portlaoise phoning a radio talk show.
Around a dozen officers have also been injured in attacks by prisoners at a number of jails around the state.