Michael Clifford: Curious case of cameras in prison locker rooms raises questions for IPS and Justice Minister 

Questions about hidden cameras discovered in staff lockers rooms at Castlerea and Cloverhill prison have not been answered adequately by either the Irish Prison Service or the prison officers' union

A hidden camera was found in the staff locker room at Castlerea Prison last weekend.

On Saturday last, a prison officer in Castlerea was changing in the staff locker room. He noticed something in a crate, partially concealed, under a row of lockers. Further inspection revealed it was a camera. As far as he could tell, the camera was not recording at that time.

The prison officer was shocked. His first instinct was that the camera was being used in some form of surveillance. Any such activity would be illegal and invasive.