TROUBLE has broken out in Mountjoy Prison on a number of occasions in recent years.
December 18th, 1995: 12 people required hospital treatment after a confrontation between prison officers and prisoners following a fire in a padded cell. A prisoner started the fire with a cigarette lighter he had concealed in his body.
February 11th, 1994: 40 female prisoners staged a protest in the prison and some equipment was broken. Eleven of the prisoners barricaded themselves into the recreation area in a protest over the refusal of the authorities to grant weekend parole to an inmate.
September 16th, 1991: A rooftop riot at the prison caused damage estimated at £400,000. More than 20 prison officers were assaulted. About 50 prisoners were involved at the height of the protest. The prisoners broke roof tiles and pieces of woodwork, and flung them at prison officers. The Minister for Justice, Mr Ray Burke, ordered a review of security.
March 17th, 1991: Five prisoners broke out on to the prison roof and staged a protest. A number of slates on the roof were broken and flung at prison officers below. At the same time, eight prisoners who were either HIV positive or suffering from AIDS slashed their wrists to draw attention to the lack of treatment available to them.
November 15th, 1990: Disturbances took place inside the prison when a number of prison officers were attacked and HIV positive prisoners slashed their wrists.