Assault figures 2023 -2024


Assaults on prison staff and prisoners 2023 – 2024

Any act of violence against prison staff is unacceptable. Any criminal act carried out within our prisons, including an assault on a staff member, will be reported to An Gardaí Síochána for investigation and prosecution. It is also vitally important that staff who are subject to act of violence or who witness incidents in our prisons are given the necessary support afterwards.

Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 specifically provides for assaults or threats to peace officers including prison officers acting in the execution of their duty. Any person who assaults or threatens to assault a peace officer in the execution of their duty is guilty of an offence. The Criminal Justices (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 increased the maximum sentence for assaulting or threatening to assault a peace office from 7 to 12 years.

Staff Supports

All staff have access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), with 3 full-time national Employee Assistance Officers. The EAP is supported at local prison level, by a network of almost fifty voluntary Staff Support Officers. This support network provides a confidential service offering information, advice and onward referrals on a wide range of personal and work-related issues. The Employee Assistance Programme plays a key role in supporting staff, particularly those who have been injured on duty.

The provision of an Independent Counselling Service for staff, which is provided by Inspire Workplaces, has been an important addition to the supports available to staff. This free Counselling Service is completely confidential and is designed to assist employees in resolving personal or work-related concerns. It is a Freephone helpline available 24 hour hours per day, with access to up to 6 counselling sessions for support covering a wide range of issues. The feedback from staff regarding this service is very positive.

Assault figures