Ten IRA prisoners may be transferred back to Castlerea Prison this week if they give assurances about their behaviour and about the consumption of alcohol at the prison.
The prisoners were moved to Portlaoise Prison following an incident at Castlerea two weeks ago during which a prison officer was detained against his will. During subsequent searches alcohol, a passport, £1,000 in cash and tools from the prison workshop were discovered.
Reports on the incident were prepared by the governor of Castlerea Prison and the Director General of the Prisons Service.
Last night the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, said: "There was a breach of trust and discipline in the prisoners smuggling alcoholic drink into the prison".
It is believed the consumption of alcohol led to the incident with the prison officer.
The Minister said there was "a need for total clarity about the rules and conditions governing the regime" at Castlerea. However, there was no "sinister reason" behind the possession of the items discovered during the searches.
Mr O'Donoghue said he was satisfied that Castlerea would be used again to safely and securely accommodate these prisoners provided assurances on their behaviour were forthcoming.
A prison source said last night that a positive response was expected from the IRA prisoners and that Castlerea would become "a drink-free zone".
Security at Castlerea is considered low-key, and considerable autonomy is granted to the republican inmates.
None of the 10 prisoners is eligible for release under the terms of the Belfast Agreement. Four are serving terms for their role in the killing of Det Garda Jerry McCabe.