Prison officer faces probe over Ó Cuív visit leak

The justice minister has warned that if a prison officer leaked details of Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív’s visit to Limerick Prison to the media, that officer breached the Official Secrets Act and could face prosecution.

The minister, Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed to Mr Ó Cuív that she has sought a full report from the director general of the Irish Prison Service into the circumstances surrounding the visit. She said the divulging of information regarding a prisoner’s private affairs was viewed as a serious matter by the prison service.

Mr Ó Cuív had asked the minister when she would set up an inquiry into the leak of, what he said was, confidential information regarding the visit he made to Limerick Prison on October 30. He also asked her what steps she would take to stop it happening again.