Prison officers to co-operate with complaints probes

Prison officers will be legally obliged to co-operate with inquiries into complaints against them by inmates and provide true answers to questions put by investigators.

They will face disciplinary punishment if they fail to do so, under plans to set up a new complaints mechanism for the prison system.

However, Justice Minister Alan Shatter said implementing the system would take time and he has set a three-year deadline for prison bosses.