Prison Service refusal to treat prison officer's work absence as occupational injury quashed

Case arose out of an incident on August 30, 2019, when Michael Delaney was instructed to transport a prisoner to court in Limerick but when he went to the cell the prisoner became violent and he was bitten and head-butted, court heard

Michael Delaney, an assistant chief officer in Limerick Prison, had not been provided with reasons for the refusal and the matter must now be reconsidered by the prison service, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland ruled. Picture: Dan Linehan

The High Court has quashed a decision of the Irish Prison Service to refuse to treat a prison officer's absence from work following an assault by a prisoner as an occupational injury.

Michael Delaney, an assistant chief officer in Limerick Prison, had not been provided with reasons for the refusal and the matter must now be reconsidered by the prison service, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland ruled.