Republican prisoners are facing round-the-clock lock-up in Portlaoise prison after a violent protest left five people injured.
Around 40 prisoners - including members of the ‘Real IRA’ - spent yesterday and today locked in their cells and faced the same measures tomorrow, the Prison Service said this evening.
Inmates have also had privileges withdrawn after refusing to return to their cells on Friday evening.
The stand-off on E2 wing started when a handful were refused temporary leave. Prison staff in riot gear moved in and forced the men back to their cells, leaving four officers and one inmate in hospital.
Relatives of the prisoners today claimed the men were being locked up with no toilet facilities and said the privileges which were being withdrawn included visits, letters and telephone calls for the next two months.
Around 50 relatives spent several hours outside the prison gates today demanding information about the inmates.
The members of the Republican Prisoners Welfare Association complained that they were denied access to any prison official despite repeated requests.
But a Prison Service spokesman said no such request had been made.
"There was a breach of the regulations by the prisoners and action has now been taken including a three-day lock-up and the withdrawal of certain privileges. The men are allowed out of their cells to collect meals at the end of the landing."
"There was only one prisoner hurt in the incident and he has since been discharged from hospital and is back in the prison," he said.
The "serious" protest was the first major incident of its kind at Portlaoise since the 1980s.
PA