Soldiers at Portlaoise tell of ‘deplorable conditions’

An official complaint has been made to the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) about the dire conditions soldiers guarding Portlaoise Prison have to endure.

Soldiers claim there would be a riot if prisoners they are guarding had to endure the same conditions they do in their adjoining barrack compound.

A shower block is currently out of action after its ceiling collapsed a few days ago. Toilets often don’t flush, showers don’t work, and excessive damp has caused staining to walls, leading to the growth of mould and what soldiers claim look like mushrooms.