prison officers warned they were in danger of losing control of our jails to the country's most notorious crime gangs

members of rival criminal gangs who continue their feuds behind bars have sparked a massive surge in violent attacks in our prisons.According to new figures obtained by the Irish Independent, prisoner isolation cases have increased by a massive 60pc in the space of just five years. In Limerick Prison, home to most of the city's jailed feuding gangsters, the number of prisoners who have had to be put into isolation for their own safety has trebled over the past two years.Opposition members said last night that the increase in cases was down to violent gangs competing against one another while in prison. Fine Gael's Charles Flanagan said there was a need to increase safety measures for prison officers due to the threat posed by ruthless and vicious gangs. Labour TD Ciaran Lynch described the figures as "startling" and said deadly gangs had increased the level of security needed in Irish jails.Just weeks ago, prison officers warned they were in danger of losing control of our jails to the country's most notorious crime gangs at their annual conference. The figures reveal that eight out of 14 Irish prisons have seen an increase in unruly prisoners placed in isolation for their own safety, and the safety of other inmates.
More than 1,148 cases of prison isolation were reported in 2003; however, this jumped to 1,816 in 2007. A spokesperson said yesterday that while undesirable, it was a matter of "practical necessity" to isolate some prisoners if they proved difficult to manage.He said the increase in the use of the cells in some prisons was simply due to the fact that the said prisons did not have the new-style close supervision and special observation cells until recently.