Two investigations are under way to establish the circumstances surrounding an incident at the State's only high-security prison during which a member of the public gained access to an unauthorised area of the facility.
The governor of Portlaoise Prison has begun an internal investigation into the security breach at the facility on December 18th, whea man gained entry to a location between the main gate and the prisoners' housing blocks, an area usually out of bounds for visitors.
A separate investigation is being undertaken by the Garda.
The man, who was authorised to enter the prison for the purposes of visiting a prisoner who was housed in the E4 wing, is believed to have inadvertently followed a group of people, possibly teachers, who were travelling through the prison in the direction of the E4 wing at the time.
It was his first time at the prison, it is understood.
Public access to the prison is usually confined to the visiting area.
The man, who had been screened and searched, managed to gain access "to an area of the prison to which he should not have been permitted", a spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said yesterday.
"At no stage did this person gain access to an area where prisoners were being accommodated, nor did he gain access to a landing of the prison," he said, adding that the visitor did not speak to any prisoners.
It is the first time such an incident has occurred at the facility, the spokesman said.
Fine Gael spokesman on justice and law reform Charlie Flanagan yesterday called for the introduction of increased security measures in all prisons across the State, including Portlaoise.
"This incident raises very serious questions about security measures in the country's maximum security jail and at all other prisons," he said.
"Portlaoise . . . houses some of the country's most notorious prisoners and terrorists.
"If you add this incident to the other ones - such as the discovery of drugs and even two budgies, and John Daly's phonecall to [ the RTÉ programme] Liveline from inside prison, it demonstrates a need for a total review of security at all prisons," said Mr Flanagan.
"Most serious of all are reports that gang bosses can continue to ply their trade from behind prison bars. It is vital for democracy that the public has confidence in the prison system."
A spokesman for the Department of Justice said a range of security measures, including the establishment of a sniffer dog unit and the introduction of security screening for all persons entering prisons, are being rolled out and are nearing completion.
Built in the 1830s, Portlaoise Prison is a high-security prison for males aged 18 years and over and accommodates an average of between 100 and 110 prisoners at any given time.
