Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It has been highlighted to us, as members, that information was being channelled relative to the prison officer affected. It was said the information was channelled by the governor to the Garda or liaison officer but it was not given down to the prison officer, which led to difficulty. I am not asking Ms McCaffrey to comment on the case. There is a command structure in regard to the flow of information that does not apply to other citizens in that gardaí feel freer to make contact in the way I have described. The Irish Prison Service has a protocol and that protocol does not apply to other citizens. Are the prison officers in some way hamstrung? I have heard of an assault case, on which I am not asking Ms McCaffrey to comment, in respect of which the governor did not facilitate every witness in making a statement to the Garda. The injured prison officer's case did not succeed due to a lack of evidence. It seems to be the case that a governor can in some way be involved in the process or restrict a process.